Algeria dates

CBI has been active in Algeria and remains interested in the potential of the country's agricultural sector.  At this time, CBI does not run an active project in Algeria. We have closed the 2024 project in the date sector.

About the sector

Algeria is one of the world's largest producers of dates. The country has around 18 million date palms. Most of these grow in the south, in regions such as Biskra. The main variety is the Deglet Nour date, which is particularly well-known and has strong potential on Dutch and European markets. The Netherlands is one of the fastest growing markets for dates in the European Union (EU) and currently ranks in the top 3 importing countries.

The sector has complex challenges:

• Climate change increases heat and drought in date-growing regions.
• Productivity and quality are often inconsistent.  
• The sector has limited connections to European specialty buyers who value high-quality, traceable, and sustainably produced dates.

CBI know the sector has true potential. Algeria has the production base, the motivation, and the growing conditions to compete on the Dutch and European market. 

The sector can benefit from investment in:

• Climate resilience
• Better quality standards
• Stronger links to international ​​​​buyers.

About the project

CBI's Algeria dates project focused on making the Algerian dates sector future-proof by addressing climate challenges and increasing sustainability. During our activity in Algeria we:

• Carried out multiple national missions and built a national network.
• Organised a sector event in El Oued, bringing together the most important stakeholders from 4 wilayas (regions). 
  • The purpose was to get better insights regarding challenges and opportunities for SMEs or exporters in the Algerian dates sector for export to the Dutch and European market.
• Carried out research during the inception phase on the sector, its export potential, and what is needed to enhance climate-resilient practices.
• Collaborated with SMEs, farmers, and service providers to develop their export skills.
• Identified barriers holding back the sector and connected relevant parties to address them, including work on local certification bodies.

Collaborate with CBI

CBI is always interested in new ideas, partnerships, and project leads. If you are active in Algeria's dates sector or see opportunities for collaboration, we would appreciate to hear from you.

For questions or to express interest, please contact Mylène Vermunt.

About CBI

CBI promotes sustainable production and trade between low-and middle-income countries and the Netherlands and Europe. We partner with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their ecosystem to strengthen their social and environmental sustainability.  

CBI is part of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency and commissioned by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.