© Il Girasole soc. coop. "The Sicilian citrus fruit campaign is officially in full swing and, just like every year, it brings with it a mix of expectations, challenges and market dynamics that we carefully monitor from the heart of our production plant in the province of Catania," reports Giovanni Scavo, sales manager of Il Girasole Soc. Coop.
"For us, the citrus season started on 1 November with Navelina blond oranges. Although the productions are of unquestionable value, the campaign is proving to be more complex than expected. Specifically, although the quality and organoleptic characteristics of the fruit harvested this year are in line with our usual standards, the market has had a very slow start in terms of consumption. The reason for this is the unusually mild temperatures and the change in consumer lifestyles that we have been observing in recent years: there are fewer families, and a hectic lifestyle sometimes leads consumers to choose processed and ready-made products as an alternative to fresh ones. Nevertheless, we are confident!"
© Il Girasole soc. coop. Tarocco Lempso grove located in Paternò (CT) at the Tripoli company
"Oranges historically show a clear growth in consumption when the weather gets colder, a situation that stimulates the search for a supply of vitamins and the beneficial properties of citrus fruits, perceived as the winter fruit par excellence. The imminent drop in temperatures will be our best ally to give impetus to this first half of the season, but the real turning point of our campaign, and therefore the most eagerly-awaited appointment on the international market, will be the arrival of pigmented varieties such as Moro and Tarocco around mid-December. In particular, Tarocco - with its blood-red flesh that encapsulates and expresses the unmistakable balance between sweetness and acidity - is our flagship product."
© Il Girasole soc. coop.
"The pigmentation process which characterises blood orange varieties is fundamental for colouring and for the development of anthocyanins (powerful antioxidants), and is closely linked to the strong temperature fluctuations between day and night that occur in our areas. The first to start in terms of production area and earliness will be Tarocco Nucellare, followed by T. Gallo, and then by deep coloured varieties such as T. Rosso, T. Ippolito and Lempso, up to the medium varieties T. Sciara and late spring varieties T. Meli and T. Sant'Alfio, with which we end the blood orange season."
© Il Girasole soc. coop.
"As they are our flagship product, our expectations for blood oranges are very high, as they catalyse the attention of consumers. As a company, our priority remains certified quality and the guarantee of Sicilian origin. We will continue to work closely with our current partners and with those who wish to interface with our company."
© Il Girasole soc. coop.
"We hope that the coming weeks will bring the cold weather needed to increase sales and unfold the full pigmentation of our beloved oranges, giving all consumers the best that Sicily has to offer."
For more information: 
Il Girasole Soc. Coop.
Tel: +39 095 623381
Giovanni Scavo: +39 337 950 732
Serena Scavo: +39 3474242478
[email protected]
www.ilgirasolearance.com
