Status, challenges and opportunities for apple production in Eastern Algeria

Apples (Malus domestica) are one of the most important temperate fruit crops in the world. Apple production provides, directly or indirectly, employment and improvement in the living standards to millions of people, playing a key role in rural economies. We have conducted an interview-based survey to assess the current status and challenges faced by apple production in the Batna and Khenchela provinces, the two most important apple producing regions of Eastern Algeria. The survey was conducted between March and November 2019. A total of 50 apple growers answered 40 questions, including 13 direct and 20 qualitative questions. A scale ranging from 1 (very low) to 5 (very high) was used as a quantitative measurement for 12 questions. The reliability index of the questionnaire was 0.827. The results identified the main challenges faced by apple growers in Eastern Algeria as: limited access to certified and clean planting material, limited knowledge of disease and pest identification, inadequate access to appropriate disease management, lack of storage facilities and transportation of harvested fruit, and insufficient knowledge of marketing and access to markets. The study also identified a need for the development of cost-effective plant multiplication, horticultural and disease management practices and educational programmes suitable for local conditions to enhance the productivity and economic benefits of apple orchards.