Forty years have passed since Vicente Giner opened its facilities in Beniflà (Valencia), which currently packs around 100 million oranges and mandarins each campaign and employs more than 300 people in the campaign. FreshPlaza interviewed Vicente Giner, of the third generation, who works with the fourth generation in this company that is among the first producers and marketers of citrus in Spain.
The 2018/2019 citrus season has already started and production volumes are expected to be 20 to 25% higher than last season, as in the previous year yields dropped in an unusual way. However, due to the weather, producers expect a significant abundance of small sizes.
Vicente Giner, third generation.
"Many people think we'll have an oversupply of citrus but, since there is less fruit that has a commercial caliber, we believe the exportable volumes of mandarin and orange could fall by up to 10%, at least during the first part of the campaign, that is, until the end of December," he said.
According to the experienced producer and exporter, there are benefits in having a smaller fruit. "Small mandarins are sweeter and juicier than the larger ones, they are also easier to pack and carry in small containers, which is ideal for children."
The calibers that can't be marketed in the fresh market are sent to the juice industry in the national market. "Last year the juice industry processed less kilos of citrus because there was less production available and the fruit had very commercial sizes. The industry therefore paid high prices for the fruit given the low availability, which also positively influenced the fresh market prices. This industry is starting to mark prices more and more. Consumption of orange juice is increasing year after year and, despite being more expensive to process than orange juice, mandarin juice is increasingly more popular because it is sweeter, tastier, and has a more attractive color. There are more and more supermarket chains that have juicers in their points of sale."
Vicente Giner has its own productions, which are widely diversified due to the Spanish geography. They cultivate citrus in Tarragona, Castellon, Valencia, Alicante, Murcia, Almeria, and Huelva. "We look for the best area for each variety. For example, Huelva is the best area to grow Clemenrubi, Murcott, Nova or ClemenVilla, and Nadorcott clementines."
The campaign is already under way with the sale of the first Satsuma mandarins, clemenrubi, Marisol, and Oronul, among others. "Competing in the European market isn't easy as there still is an abundant supply of Nadorcott and Orri mandarins from the southern hemisphere. There is a greater overlap between the start of our campaign and the end of the Southern Hemisphere's campaign. However, we are also gaining ground at the end of their campaign. Let's say that the marketing windows are moving backwards in the calendar," Mr Giner stated.
Cutting edge technology quality control booth in a warehouse.
"Meanwhile, in a completely different market where we don't have the overseas competition we market Satsuma mandarins, such as the Iwasaki, Okitsu or Owari varieties, which find an interesting space, mainly in the United Kingdom, until the month of January. This type of mandarin is becoming popular once again after having been relegated for some time. People tend to think of it as a sour fruit but it's really a sweet, seedless mandarin that has a lot of juice, and is very easy to peel," he added.
If the quality control need samples of the fruit coming from the lines, they can request them from the control booth.
The Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, France, and North America are an important part of their market. "We want to differentiate ourselves from our competitors by offering an a la carte service, cultivating what our clients ask us to grow and offering them a fast and good service," the exporter stated.
Vicente Giner is one of the few producers and marketers of citrus that have a sample analysis laboratory in Spain.
The company will soon add new products to its portfolio.
Even though producing Bio citrus fruits isn't easy, the company has already started working on this and it hopes to market its first avocados soon.
For more information:
Esther Giner Ribes
Vicente Giner
T: +34 962800075
info@vicenteginer.com
www.vicenteginer.com