The orange season in Greece started about a month ago and according to Greek exporting company Fragoulis the season has been good so far. It’s a little early to make a definitive statement on the total volumes for this year, but the Greeks do expect a significant increase.
Last year Greece had a bit of a problem with smaller sized oranges, but according to Theodoros Fragoulis, sales manager for exporting company Fragoulis, this year the season is looking good: “We’re having a very good year, thanks to the good weather. Especially the Navelin variety seems to be doing really well, although we might harvest too many oranges for the market. Because of this we’re trying to reach companies in Serbia and Macedonia to see if they’re interested in the Greek oranges.”
Spain being the big competitor that they are, is currently experiencing the same issues the Greeks had last year; small sizes. Luckily for Fragoulis this isn’t an issue for them this year: “The sizes are normal this season. We have number 3 (81-92mm) and number 4 (77-88mm) oranges. Our current issue is the ongoing good weather. This time of year we’d like to weather to be cold to give the oranges the beautiful colors people love so much. In Greece the temperature is close to 25 degrees Celcius at the moment, so the coloring isn’t going as well as we’re hoping for. This will hopefully resolve itself in the next few weeks.”
Fragoulis usually has its markets in Bulgaria and Romania, but is really looking to penetrate the European market. This isn’t as easy as it sounds, as Spain is really a force to be reckoned with: “The Spanish oranges are lower in price and their quality is good, making it harder for us to reach the European markets. There is more than enough reason to try the oranges from Greece though, as our oranges have a unique taste. They are much sweeter than the Spanish oranges, making them perfect for fruit juices. We’ve even heard this from Spanish growers, so we’re positive and confident when it comes to the Greek orange cultivation.”
For more information:
Theodoros Fragoulis
Fragoulis Fruit & Veg
Tel: +30 2310 762 029
Mobile: +30 6945 569 584
Email: info@fragoulisfruits.gr
www.fragoulisfruits.gr