Known for its medicinal properties (antioxidant) but also widely used as a natural dye, pomegranate is picked from September to December. Emblematic Fruit mentioned in Greek mythology, the Bible and the Qur’an, it is the fruit of autunmn par excellence. Deliciously refreshing, it also seduces us with its formal beauty. Its excellence terroir is Gabes in Tunisia but we even find a nice variety in Testour region. No wonder all the fruit is king in a country where it operates since the Phoenicians brought with them to the land of Carthage.
There are worldwide more than 1200 varieties of Pomegranates. Grown for the beauty of flowers as much as for its fruit and bark, each variety is linked to a terroir and a producer. the Mollar and Tendrar example include Spain, the Hicaz Turkey.
In Tunisia, there are at least a dozen varieties namely The Gabsi, the Zahri, the kalaai, the Djebali, El Baldi, El mezzi, El Zaghouani and Landolsi … The most common varieties are the Kadhouri that produces beautiful fruits that become very large red colored fruits. This variety is the most cultivated type. It is also found Hammouri which produces lesser size fruit, very juicy and moderately sweet.
In Gabes, pomegranates are known. They evolve and develop in a doubly unique terroir. They grow in the shade of date palms in the only maritime oasis in the world. This means that each pomegranate seed can contain as finesse, history, flavor, beauty … .This is not for nothing that the region has the largest part of the Tunisian large orchard with 37% of national production . Gabes Pomegranate currently has a development program through the establishment of a geographical indication. A designation of agricultural development that emphasizes the diversity and quality of Tunisian local products.
Gabes is a Tunisian town with 120,000 inhabitants. Known as much for its pomegranates as for its henna, is the only city in the country to be both port and oasis. Its palm is home to over 300,000 date palm tree oasis and is distinguished by its microclimate that allows the existence of a large plant and animal diversity.
The presence of date palm helps and supports the pomegranate because it acts as a windbreak, provides shade and reduces the dryness of the air. The pomegranates of Gabes may not be comparable to other varieties in the world not least thanks to the oasis that is the one of the Mediterranean and one of the last examples of this kind of oasis in the world. And do not tell with such terroir, pomegranates are no better, benefactors, regenerating, beautiful, vitamin, elegant ….
In this regard, various scientific studies claim that the pomegranates would have a positive effect on cardiovascular disease, cancer and arthritis … The pomegranate contains phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron and some vitamin C.
This fruit is one of the most powerful natural antioxidants. It contains anti-inflammatory that give comparable properties to those of wine and green tea. Pomegranate juice has remarkable beneficial properties for health, blood circulation, arteriosclerosis and tachycardia.
Amel DJAIT