"A few weeks ago we ended the sales of the early Apulian clementine harvest carried out on about 10 hectares of land. The prices were not particularly satisfying. The commercial campaign of traditional Apulian clementines will start at the beginning of December, ten days later than expected. The high temperatures are causing a slowdown in the ripening of the citrus fruits, not to mention the lack of rain," said Luciano Latorraca of Patemisco, a farm specialized in the production and processing of clementines and Navel blond oranges.
In photo, Luciano Latorraca.
The company Patemisco, founded in 1965, is specialized in the production and marketing of oranges, including Fukumoto, Navel and Navelate varieties, and clementines, as well as the extra-precious Clemenruby variety. A production of about 700 tons of citrus fruits is grown in the Apulian area of Massafra (TA) on 80 hectares, part of which was renewed with new trees of more resistant early and late varieties.
"The first batches of precocious clementines have reached prices lower than last year (on average, 50 cents/kg) because of an average of over 40% production, with a small to medium size product. We hope that with the arrival of the traditional clementines, which have an excellent Brix grade and juiciness, we will see an increase in prices," continued Luciano Latorreca.
"Last year, the harvest of citrus fruits recorded low volumes for all varieties. This explains why this year we will have higher volumes, although it's also due to the principle of production alternation. However, there is a greater abundance of small calibers, some of which, presumably, will be destined for the processing industry for the production of juices and jams".
"We produce a special 270 g jam, and a fruit juice made of blond oranges or clementines, by using citrus fruits of small caliber or with small superficial imperfections. The manufacturing process is artisan, carried out using the vacuum technique, composed only of fruit and very few ingredients, lemon, and very small quantities of sugar, to which we add very thin zests to enrich the finished product. The production is about 10 thousand units per single reference, released on the market in January 2020."
The pandemic has slowed down their clementine transformed product project, but the fresh and processed products have generated extraordinary sales through the e-commerce channel, and their summer juice line has sold like hotcakes.
Agricola Patemisco is currently working on recipes that promote health, with the aim of expanding their line of local clementine derived products, such as juices, smoothies and milkshakes.
Contact:
Azienda Agricola Patemisco
Strada comunale, 48
74016 Massafra (TA) - Italy
Phone.: (+39) 099 8855964
Cell.: (+39) 333 7670020
Email: info@patemisco.it
Website: www.patemisco.it