Spain: Kaki campaign with smaller calibres expected

"We will start supplying the first kakis from 22 September, when the fruit's colour reaches an intense orange; a sign that it is ready for consumption," says Daniel Vidal, from the commercial department of the Valencian company Exquisite Fruits.

In early summer there were a number of hailstorms in different production areas of Valencia which damaged the fruit when they were just beginning to form and the same thing happened last week in the province of Castellón. "The hail will not have an impact on production volumes, since the acreage continues to grow season after season. However, it will be a campaign with more second class kakis and it will be harder to export them, given that Russia was the market that best accepted second-class fruit," says Daniel. 

"Due to the lack of rainfall, unlike last season, one of this year's handicaps will be an abundance of rather small calibres," Daniel explains. "It is worth noting that kaki persimmon is intended as a substitute for apples; therefore, the most demanded are the medium sizes."

"30% of our sales were directed to the Russian market and we are now looking for alternatives to increase shipments to Eastern European countries like Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania or Belarus, and although they are major suppliers for Russia, they also have a significant domestic consumption. We will try to maintain and increase our presence in these markets," he says. 

As long as the ban on European imports continues, Russia will have to purchase kaki Persimmon from Azerbaijan, "despite the fact that their quality does not match that of Spanish kakis." They will also opt for the kaki Sharon from Israel instead of the Persimmon. "The difficulties Russia will have to purchase kakis opens the possibility that the Eastern European countries mentioned above will ​​re-export to the Russian market under the private labels of the supermarkets demanding them," points out Daniel Vidal. "It's a risk we cannot take, and thus does not concern us."

Exquisite also supplies Spanish supermarket chains. For now consumption is not very high in Spain and focuses on the production areas. "However, it is a product whose popularity continues to grow and whose consumption increases year after year. It has a lot of potential to tap with the help of promotions from the kaki producer associations." 

Furthermore, "this year we will start negotiations with Saudi Arabia and Dubai in the Middle East, as well as with the United States and Canada, with the goal of starting exports next year," adds Daniel Vidal. 

"Thanks to the cultivation methods and storage treatments we will be able to extend the kaki campaign until mid-February," he concludes.