Rapid growth in persimmon market, great opportunities but also commercial challenges

The research of SmartFresh on persimmons goes back to the beginning of the millennium, thanks to the vision of Spanish growers and their research institute, who believed in the potential of this new crop but recognized the need for a robust ethylene management. This was the beginning of a long partnership with AgroFresh which has proven to be a success story.

8 years of commercial experience
The first commercial applications of SmartFresh on persimmons took place in Spain in 2007, following several years of R&D. Based on a decade of experience, SmartFresh has contributed to the continuous growth of the persimmons market and the success in supplying a fruit that meets the market’s expectations. Persimmons production is expected to reach 220.000 tons this year and 650.000 tons by 2020. The rapid growth represents great opportunities but also commercial challenges, with solutions needed to open up markets and keep an acceptable price level for growers. AgroFresh continuously invest to find solutions and assist customers’ growth strategies.

Strong partnership with local industry and researchers
The success of SmartFresh is the result of a strong partnership with the local industry and researchers. As the leader of the 1-MCP science, AgroFresh undertakes in-depth research to correlate pre and postharvest factors and provides use recommendations which are finetuned each year according to market needs. This close cooperation with the cooperatives, growers and research centers leads to innovative solutions. “As an example, it is thanks to AgroFresh that the current storage techniques have been developed, giving the opportunity to store fruit with SmartFresh at lower temperatures without internal browning” explains Eve Dupille, R&D Manager for Spain and Portugal.

Proven benefits and new marketing opportunities for growers
SmartFresh meets customers’ expectations for keeping up the quality during storage, shipment and shelf life. Very importantly, it reduces the loss of firmness, despite the desastringency process. Protected against ethylene, the fruit ripens more slowly and maintains its quality during storage, either at ambient or lower temperatures. To address the need for flexibility in this dynamic market, AgroFresh is developing new formulations, facilitating the logistics during busy harvest time, and which can be used during the desastringency process. This adds agility especially for export markets which can be more easily targeted. More than 70% of the production was exported in 2015, not only to Europe, but also USA, Canada, Brazil, Arabian countries and Asia.

For more information:
José Manuel Marrero Martínez-Carlón
AgroFresh
Tel: +34 968 11 92 80
Email: jmarrero@agrofresh.com
www.agrofresh.com