The harvest of Spanish Rojo Brillante kakis will begin in September. The prospects are excellent when it comes to the fruit's quality and volumes, and the supply is growing at the same pace as the national and international demand, as stated by Juan Carlos Martínez, manager of The Natural Hand.
“This year, we expect fewer companies to market 'early' kakis at the same time as naturally-ripened kakis. Many companies make the mistake of trying to market more early kilos than they can sell. Thus, when the naturally-ripened kakis hit the shelves, soft and overripe early kakis overlap with naturally-ripened ones in perfect conditions. This situation leads to a devaluation of the fruit's price, which can fall by up to 40%,” says the exporter.
This Valencian company, which is a pioneer in long distance marketing, allocates 80% of its production exclusively to overseas destinations. “This campaign, we will continue exporting to our usual destinations: Brazil, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, China, etc. Our Rojo Brillante kakis have already become really popular in Asia. We have carefully monitored and studied their behavior during transport in long-distance containers. This analysis has been crucial for the fruit to reach its destination with its organoleptic qualities intact,” says Juan Carlos Martínez.
According to the exporter, the fruit's excellent management in the field, as well as its good harvesting, transport, storage, packaging, etc., are the key. This is what allows the Rojo Brillante kakis to arrive in great conditions to those demanding, kaki-loving countries.
"The export of kakis to overseas destinations cannot be improvised: it requires special treatments (pruning, calcium, fertilizers, etc.) implemented at the right time (June and July). Deciding at the time of the harvest that the fruit will go to overseas markets is bound to fail. Saturating the market with fruit in poor conditions will only cause the prices of quality fruit to fall,” he says.
“In the previous campaign, the logistic barriers of collapsed ports had a terrible impact on exports. Between 60 and 70% of shipping companies suffered delays, causing serious problems. The fruit arrived at its destination up to 15 days later than expected and in very bad conditions. The most collapsed ports for trade with Asia are currently Hong Kong and Singapore. They do not have enough capacity. If the fruit arrives in poor condition, the only solution is to destroy it or sell it at ridiculous prices,” says Juan Carlos Martínez, adding that “the Asian market appreciates and demands Spanish fruit. Its demand in Asia is on the rise, given that the Rojo Brillante kaki is a very popular fruit. But meeting the high demands of this market does not always go hand in hand with current phytosanitary conditions or protocols.”
“Long-term planning is vital to be able to offer quality. This year, we have invested in quality monitoring equipment, cold rooms with sophisticated temperature controls and warehouse expansion,” says the manager.
A pioneer in long distance marketing, The Natural Hand is a producing, packing and exporting company specialized in Rojo Brillante kakis, citrus fruits and melon.
Visit the company at FRUIT LOGISTICA
Hong Kong from 4 to 6 September 2019
PAVILION SPAIN - HALL 5D - STAND 5534
More information:
Juan Carlos Martínez
The Natural Hand
Hort de Calafre, 6
46470 Albal, Valencia. Spain
T: +34960046320
info@thenaturalhand.com
www.thenaturalhand.com