Early varieties with 20% higher Brix

Primor started the stonefruit campaign with the first extra-early nectarines and peaches from both greenhouses and open ground crops. For about two weeks, they have also been harvesting Paraguayo peaches.

"The greenhouses allow us not only to reach the market quickly, but also to offer a fruit with larger sizes, better skin quality and differentiated Brix levels," explains Sébastien Adnot.

The Seville-based company is involved in a process of varietal renewal by restructuring its R&D in stonefruit. To this end, last year it abandoned SPS, a company co-founded with Rústicas del Guadalquivir for the exclusive distribution of American stonefruit varieties. "Now the alliance with the French company Escande, specialised in Low Shilling peaches and nectarines, will allow us to retain our dominant position over the next 20 years," points out Sébastien Adnot.

"We started three years ago and we still have four years ahead to complete the renewal of varieties with a harvesting schedule between mid-April and mid-May. This year, we have already had a new early nectarine available which has been well-received by the market, mostly thanks to its qualitative leap, with a 20% higher Brix level and larger size."

After this project, and more on the commercial side, they are working on a quality brand which will be used exclusively for the sweetest varieties: the SWEET X-perience, which they plan to launch next year and promote it across Europe.

Primor will finish its campaign in late June, with prospects to reach 17 million kilos. 75 percent of the volumes are intended for export, mainly to Scandinavia, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Italy. "This year, some shipments will go to Hong Kong by plane. Although China is already open for Spanish stonefruit, it will not be a market with great potential for us in terms of volume, as our early varieties are intended for nearby markets."