The Spanish persimmon season is about to begin at Sanllo. This trading and cultivation company specializes in citrus and exports its products worldwide. However, for several years, it has been increasingly looking toward the Belgian and Dutch markets. "The last persimmon season was dismal, so we expect a significant improvement this year," begins Sharon Veroone.
"We'll start harvesting Maxim, the early persimmon variety, today and package and load the first volumes tomorrow. The Maxim's advantage is that it comes off the field sweet, so there's no astringency to remove. That's true for many persimmon varieties. So, we can pick, pack, and load this fruit. We're also definitely satisfied with its quality."
"Usually, at the start of the season, there are some color issues, but this year, their color - and sizes - look great. Plus, the market is eagerly awaiting the new crop. There's already plenty of global demand. The season can, thus, get started," says Sharon.
This Spanish company, based in Valencia but with branches in Germany and Canada, then moves on to the Rojo Brillante. "We should start with that cream on the persimmon crop in about two weeks. Last year's figures were terrible; this year, however, we can talk about stable volumes. It's a similar picture to the Maxim, despite a scorching summer. That's not a problem for persimmons. For mandarins, though, it's a different story."
Hot summer means smaller mandarins
Sharon says the Satsuma mandarin season starts later this week/early next week. "That's where there's a noticeable difference due to the summer's extreme heat. We'll begin with the Okitsu variety, where we expect very low volumes. Mandarins require water to grow large, so they're much smaller than in other years. That more limited supply means we should start with higher prices," she says.
"Fortunately, Satsuma mandarins aren't one of our big varieties. We begin the season with it, supplying a select number of customers, but the big start is scheduled for early October. That's when the Oronules come off the trees, but these, too, will probably be smaller. Volume-wise, however, they look better than the Satsuma. Availability won't be a problem, and the quality looks excellent, but the range will largely consist of smaller sizes. The same goes for the Clemenules that follow."
New warehouse
Sanllo opening a new warehouse proves its readiness for the new persimmon and citrus season. "It became fully operational this week and gives us an extra boost in both space and automation. It's fitted with the latest grading technology, and the machine constantly takes pictures of the fruit. Using preset parameters, we can sort the persimmons into extra, first category, standard, or class II. That means each client gets the quality they want," Sharon concludes.
Sanllo, too, will be at the upcoming Fruit Attraction in Madrid from October 3 to 5. You can find the company in Hall 8, stand 8B16.
For more information:
Sharon Veroone
Sanllo
Tel: +34 (0) 673 206 269
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.sanlloexport.com