The Persimon kaki production, under the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) Ribera del Xúquer, is expected to reach 160,000 tonnes this season, compared to the 110,000 harvested last year, as reported by the president of the PDO, Cirilo Arnandis, during the presentation of the campaign of this autumn fruit.
During the event, which was also attended by the president of the Region of Valencia, Ximo Puig, and the Regional Minister of Agriculture, Elena Cebrián, Arnandis announced the estimated kaki production for this season, which will be close to 300,000 tonnes, of which over 80% comes from La Ribera. Furthermore, it is estimated that by 2020 the kaki production will reach around 640,000 tonnes. He also noted that the crop's acreage has tripled since 2003, "reaching 15,000 hectares in the entire Region of Valencia."
"We've managed to get everyone to like Persimon kakis," he stated, and added that today the product is exported to 54 countries, mainly to Germany, France and Italy, but also others such as Saudi Arabia. "We have a successful product, the Rojo brillante kaki, and we have managed to build a name for it," he continued.
The PDO wants Persimon "to be a trademark that can only be used with certified kakis." To do this, they will organise a branding and differentiation campaign at national level. "This year we will double the budget for promotion in the domestic market, as 99% of the kakis consumed are Persimon and 80% of the production is exported to other countries," he stated.
The promotional campaign will be carried out in partnership with other brands whose name refers to a product. "People should be asking for Persimon; the name that refers to the original product, that of the PDO Ribera del Xúquer," said a source of the agency AGR Food, which has designed the campaign.
Therefore, the PDO aims to increase the nearly 1 kilo being consumed in Spain, compared to the average of 3 kilos consumed in the European market. "Last year, 265,000 tonnes were produced, of which 253,000 were harvested in La Ribera and the rest in other Spanish provinces, such as Huelva. A total of 137,000 tonnes of Persimon kakis were exported," he explained.
The campaign will also serve to advertise the benefits of the fruit's consumption to prevent cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer.
Moreover, Cirilo Arnandis has stressed the importance of R+D+i to combat pests and to monitor and control diseases. Thus, the award that the PDO Ribera del Xúquer has presented for the past three years went to the Valencian Institute of Agricultural Research (IVIA) for all the work done in this regard.
In fact, current research aims to extend the fruit's harvesting period to five months, as it currently lasts for four months, from October to January.
Lastly, the President of the Government of Valencia stressed that "Persimon kakis are an example of a success story," because until just 20 years ago it was only grown at family level and today it is exported to destinations all over the world. He also stressed the importance of research and innovation for the future.