Egyptian grape varieties showcased at London Produce Show
As one of Sun World’s exclusive licensees and growers in Egypt, PICO will use the show to highlight the newest additions to its Sun World varietal offer, including Sable, Midnight Beauty and Red Superior, as well as a trial plantation of Scarlotta.
PICO’s Eng. Alaa Diab said the company hoped to take advantage of its presence at the event to work towards integration with other Sun World growers from around the world to provide exclusive Sun World varieties year round in a joint marketing approach and strategy to achieve better returns.
As well as this, Diab said PICO would be highlighting a number of new stone fruit varieties, including peaches (Supech 15), nectarines (Sunect 21) and plums (Suplum 25 and Suplum 41).
Expanded range
The Cairo-based company exported its first volumes of Hass avocados to UK retailer Marks & Spencer in 2014 and has revealed plans to greatly expand shipments into the UK and other European markets after the successful inaugural season.
As well as this, PICO has developed its basket of exotics over the last 12 months, exporting its first volumes of lychees, loquats, pomegranates and mangos.
Although the UK represents PICO’s main market for all of its signature crops, including strawberries, stone fruits and table grapes, the Egyptian grower-exporter is looking forward to using its appearance at the London Produce Show to highlight its expanded range.
Diab said: “Last year we realised our first successful shipment of Egyptian and PICO avocados to the UK and we are excited about increasing volumes in the coming season.”
“In this light, we are of course looking forward to meeting our existing receivers and to speak with supermarket representatives about exotics including our pomegranates and mango varieties.”
Reliable supplier
Over the course of a successful 12 months, Diab said PICO had managed to position itself as a reliable supplier of late season strawberries despite shortages in Egyptian strawberry production as a result of cold weather.
Over the course of the coming months, Diab said PICO would continue its expansion in the areas of table grapes and stone fruit, focusing on increasing the planted area and adding new varieties for trial.
PICO’s future table grape capacity will be further bolstered by new Sun World varieties and other programs in order to offer the best basket of varieties for international markets, meeting early and late demands, and including white, red and black grapes for early, mid and late season opportunities.
In stone fruit, PICO will also continue to increase the planted area of peaches and nectarines, and will add new early red and mid season black, yellow and dark red varieties.
Please visit www.picoagriculture.com for more information.