Italy: Positive start for PDO Ribera orange campaign

The commercial season of PDO Ribera oranges has just started at the Sicilian company, Parlapiano Fruit.

As Paolo Parlapiano, sales and marketing manager, reports, "we started in mid-November with Navelina and will continue with Washington Navel in the first week of December. All our oranges are produced in the Ribera area, as its particular climate conditions have contributed to the achievement of the PDO brand."

Blond Ribera oranges are different from the ones produced in other areas because of the following characteristics:

• the juicy vesicles dissolve in the mouth and leave very little residue;

• perfect balance between taste, aroma and fragrance;
• blond and sugary flesh ideal for fresh consumption and that makes them distinguishable from other Sicilian varieties;
• easily digestible, so much so that they can be eaten even in the evening;
• easy to peel;
• large fruits;
• seedless;
• high in vitamin C;
• juiciness, which makes them ideal for fruit juices.

Domestic market
90% of the turnover comes from domestic retailers. Paolo remarks "selling Navel oranges abroad is like a war and competition is fierce. On the Italian market though, our produce is enthusiastically welcomed, so much so that the sales period gets shorter every year. All of the produce is harvested and then sold, although at one time we used to have stocks available until April, we now finish the campaign at the end of March."

After years of stalling, new orange orchards have finally been planted in Ribera, and they will start producing as of next year.

Paolo adds "rainfall in August and September favoured the development of fruit, which have good grades and excellent quality. The produce is distributed all over Italy thanks to our cooperation with distributor chains, some of which decided to include Ribera oranges in their own premium lines."

Packaging:

Platform crates

• 40x60 - 1 layer
• 40x60 - 2 layers
• 30x40 - 2 layers
• 30x50 - 2 layers

D-pack with handles
• 1 kg
• 1.5 kg
• 2 kg
• 3 kg

Contacts:
Parlapiano Fruit
di Biagio Parlapiano
Contrada Donna Vanna S.p. 57
92016 Ribera (AG)
Tel./fax: +39 0925 545947
Paolo Parlapiano
Responsabile vendite e marketing
Cell.: (+39) 327 6946611
Cell.: (+39) 333 1084510
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.parlapianofruit.com