"Colombia: "Our oranges have the perfect taste"

The lack of rainfall, which had an impact on many crops in South America, is also affecting Colombia's orange crops. "Fortunately, the production volume has not been severely affected and we are harvesting good quality fruit. Our main problem has been the fruit's calibre, which has been very small this campaign compared to what we are used to," stated Gustavo Botero, of Orofrut S.A.S., a company that, in addition to citrus fruits, grows soursop, avocado, papaya, and soon also mangosteen.

"Who doesn't enjoy fresh orange juice made from freshly harvested fruit? We all do, don't we?", remarked the representative of Orofrut, a Colombian company with more than 10 years' experience in fruit marketing, with a special focus on Valencia oranges. "We have fruit available all year round, with 2 production peaks: from October to January and from May to July. We currently produce mainly for the domestic market, but our goal is to export in the near future," affirmed the representative.

Although 2016 is leaving Colombian producers with a bittersweet taste, prospects point to a more productive campaign next year. "We have better forecasts for next year and, who knows, maybe we can go international. Although our problem remains the same: the colour of our fruit. The taste of our oranges is excellent, since it reaches the desired Brix degree and acidity levels, but due to the lack of hours of sunshine, we are unable to obtain the colours that Europe demands. If the mentality in these international markets changes, we could have better chances," concluded the spokesperson.

For more information:
Gustavo Botero
Orofrut S.A.S
T: + 574 412 1090
E: gerencia@orofrut.co
www.orofrut.co