The Sorolla, a new orange-fleshed Piel de Sapo melon, now has an exclusive producer and distributor for all of Italy. The Spanish seed company Intersemillas has recently signed an exclusive agreement with L'Orto di Eleonora, from Sardinia, one of the leading companies in the marketing of fresh fruits and vegetables in Italy.
"We have granted the exclusive rights to market the Sorolla to L'Orto di Eleonora, thus allowing it to comfortably carry out the variety's entire commercial development in Italy. Both companies are now strongly committed to developing this variety and others in the country, and not only melons, but also other horticultural species," explains Pablo Pérez, Breeder at Intersemillas.
The Piel de Sapo is a melon variety traditionally consumed in Spain and in some areas of neighboring countries, such as Portugal, southern France or Sardinia, in southern Italy. According to Pablo Pérez, "the good thing about the Sorolla is that its orange pulp will make it easier for it to be introduced as something new in the rest of Italy, where consumers are very familiar with melons such as Cantaloupes, also orange-fleshed. However, unlike the Cantaloupes, the Sorolla Piel de Sapo has a firm and sweet flesh, a very good post-harvest and a long shelf life. These features are trending in the Italian fruit and vegetable sector."
Regarding the orange color of its pulp, in Spain, the market preferences are the opposite to those in Italy, since there is a tradition of Piel de Sapo melon consumption, but not of orange-fleshed melon consumption. "At first, the sector didn't show any trust in the product when the Sorolla was showcased, but this is now changing, especially since we published a study that scientifically proves that this orange-fleshed Piel de Sapo has a significantly higher amount of beta carotene than any other Piel de Sapo, and this is a high added value that is appreciated in Spain."
The Sorolla has already been launched in several countries around the world, such as the United States, Canada, France, South Africa, etc. In some of these countries, the possibility of their cultivation is also being studied. Intersemillas was the first company to obtain an orange-fleshed Piel de Sapo, and soon it could also have an orange-fleshed Galia. "We are carrying out a project with Galia melons in which we are implementing an orange pulp gene with the taste of a traditional Galia. The objective is for the melon to have its characteristic white pulp during its growth, but turn orange as soon as it's ripe. Since this would also be reflected in the tone of its skin, growers would easily know when the fruit was optimally ripe."
The Valencian company, which has just celebrated its 35th anniversary, has one hundred percent Spanish capital. It is one of the few independent seed houses with a family tradition. Its Sorolla melon will be exhibited at Fruit Attraction, in Madrid, together with Intersemillas' improvement programs for other melon varieties and other crops, such as tomatoes, watermelons, onions, peppers, etc. The firm's commercial and technical team will be happy to assist visitors at Hall 9, stand 9G12.
For more information:
María Gómez
Intersemillas
T: +34 96 164 01 01 Ext: 30
M: +34 630 058 146
mariagomez@intersemillas.es
www.intersemillas.es
Coop. Agricola Campidanese
Via Doria, 5
09098 Terralba (OR)
Sardegna - Italy
Tel.: +39 0783 022959
info@agricolacampidanese.it
www.agricolacampidanese.it