Persimmon Symposium to cover cultivation, marketing, future perspectives

Cultivation of persimmons in Spain, their marketing on the European market and future perspectives for the fruit will be the main topics that will be covered at "Persimmon Attraction", the 1st International Persimmon Symposium", which will be held in the scope of the technical conferences of the International Trade Fair for Fruit and Vegetables, Fruit Attraction, which will see its seventh edition take place between 28 and 30 October, in Madrid.

The conference will be held on Wednesday 28 October in the afternoon, in two parts, with presentations mainly made by representatives from production, marketing and nutrition and with a panel discussion.

The first presentation will be about the "Background of the crop, brand and positioning", given by Rafael Perucho, from the Regulatory Council for the Protected Persimmon Designation of Origin Ribera del Xúquer. The second presentation will broach the subject of the "Analysis and distribution of the European Market", given by Francisco Borras (Anecoop) and will also analyse "The production of the persimmon, the crop and future perspectives", on behalf of Andel del Pino (Anecoop).

Representatives from the distribution sector will also take part in the conference, who will explain the positioning of the persimmon in their supermarket chains. In particular, Matthieu Lovery from Carrefour and Jose Miguel Benavent from Mercadona will be participating. Lastly, there will be a presentation on the nutritional characteristics of the persimmon, which is a subject that will be covered by Montaña Cámara, from the University of Pharmacy of Madrid.

After the talks, a panel discussion will be held, in which a large number of previous speakers will be present, Crystal Cottrill (Loblaw Companies Ltd), Cirilo Arnandis (from the DO Persimmon Riberda del Xuquer), Vicente Masiá (Spanish Association of the Persimmon), and Juan Angel Abrit, from the Institute for Foreign Trade (ICEX).
Spanish export of the persimmon until July 2015, which is the latest up-to-date information from the General Directorate of Customs, was recorded at 25,718 tons, 24% more than in the same period in 2014, with a value of 24.8 million euros (-2%).

The Valencian Community is the main exporting community for the persimmon, with 18,816 tons and 18.2 million euros, 73% of the total exported by Spain, both in volume and in value. The main destinations of the exported Spanish produce are Germany, with 4,671 tons and 5.3 million euros in the period analysed, Italy, with 4,865 tons and 4.3 million euros, and France, with 3,885 tons and 3.4 million euros.
In the whole of 2014, the export of the persimmon amounted to a total of 156,252 tons, for a value of 150 million euros. October, November, December and January are the main months of the export campaign, which mainly extends from September to March.

Please visit www.fruitattraction.ifema.es to learn more.