In a few weeks, OTC Organics will start the soft citrus season with the easy peeler variety Nova from its grower SOGA Organic from South Africa. The fruits have already been harvested and packed and are expected in their warehouse in Poeldijk in The Netherlands, mid-July. Never before has OTC Organics, distributor of organic fruit and vegetables, had this variety in its range and they are therefore very much looking forward to receiving the fruit.
SOGA Organic
Marius Jürgens, grower since 2002 and Production Director at SOGA Organic, cultivates the Nova variety for OTC Organics. In 2005 he formed SOGA, the Sundays Organic Growers Association, together with three other organic citrus farmers. They each farm on their own farms, along the fertile Sundays River Valley in South Africa, but they cooperate with each other in research, packing, logistics and marketing to grow and supply citrus to their customers around the world.
Sustainability is of paramount importance to Marius: “As long as I can remember, sustainability has been part of me. My great-grandfather and his father started growing citrus just outside Kirkwood. They had no pesticides or fertilizers. They picked citrus, packed it in wooden boxes, sent it by train to Port Elizabeth and onto a steam ship to Europe. The fruit still arrived in a good condition overseas. I am trying to follow in their footsteps. Producing strong, healthy fruit in a natural way. Building the soil so that my children and their children can still farm here. Organic farming is all about sustainability”, Marius says.
Nova variety
The Nova is also known as a Clemenvilla mandarin, which makes it a family of the Nadorcott. The taste and colour of the Nova is very good and is closer to Nadorcott than Clementine. After Nova, OTC Organics expects Nadorcotts from their grower Groenheuwel and later on SRCC (Sundays River Citrus Company). The fruits are packed in 15 kg boxes, but can be repackaged as desired. OTC Organics uses their latest acquisition to pack the fruit: an organic packing line that has been operational since the end of May.
For more information:
Bart van der Vliet
OCT Organics
Email: sales@otcorganics.com
Cornelis Ernst
OCT Organics
Email: cornelisernst@otcorganics.com
www.otcorganics.nl