In the Spanish Region of Valencia, lemon growing is carried out mainly in Alicante. In 2022, the province, especially the Vega Baja, accounted for almost 99% of both the Valencian lemon production and the acreage, with the producers relying on the PGI Cítricos Valencianos as a quality seal, under which Las Moreras Fruit&Veggies markets its lemons.
"At Las Moreras we have our own citrus production, mainly of lemons, in which we are specialized, although we also produce oranges and tangerines. We work with both conventional and organic crops, and the conventional has been registered under the PGI for a couple of years," explains José Alcaide, director of the company.
"We are one of the companies that are promoting lemons within the PGI, and we have a long way to go, because lemons still have plenty of potential for development within this quality brand, as evidenced by the interest it has aroused among retailers and supermarkets not only in the Region of Valencia, but in many other parts of Spain."
"With other products such as, for example, oranges or melon, we are more accustomed to brands; in fact, for some fruits, there are very powerful brands on the market that we all recognize, but that's not the case with lemons. That is why the PGI Cítricos Valencianos is a form of differentiation; it's a seal that stands for quality," says José.
In order to become certified by the PGI Regulatory Council, the fruit must meet some specific parameters at the time of shipping in terms of size, juice content and ripeness to prove its suitability to be marketed under the seal's umbrella.
"Our crops are all in the Vega Baja," says José Alcaide. "Finca de Las Moreras is a leading farm in the area with a long history in the agricultural sector. The former owners of Las Moreras were pioneers in bringing irrigation to the area and in introducing citrus fruits. After almost 20 years producing there, we are now going through a stage of development in which we have launched a new project. We are taking advantage of the facilities we have on the farm to start the direct marketing of our products. Our great advantage is that our warehouse is in the center of the farm, so the time that passes between harvesting and packing is minimal. The harvesting is carried out daily and we can guarantee maximum freshness."
"We have already started with this year's lemon season, earlier than other years, because the overseas season finished early. In fact, South Africa finishing early has allowed us to enter the market in September, when the lemon season normally starts in mid-October. Given this, and the fact that a good production is expected, we think that we will have a good 2023/24 lemon season."
For more information:
Las Moreras Fruit&Veggies S.L.U.
Ctra. CV-935 km 8,4 de Almoradí a Los Montesinos
3187 Montesinos, Alicante, Spain
Tel.: +34 966 72 15 30
https://lasmorerasfruitandveggies.com