Clementines well, hard times for oranges

Despite a delayed start, high quality will characterize the clementine season in Italy: demand from abroad is already +40%.

 

 

Sicily expects a difficult season for oranges, mainly due to overproduction.

"It will be a difficult year for oranges," said Alessandro Pirracchio of Palagonia Red Orange farm (Catania). For Sicilian farmers - the webmagazine Corriereortofrutticolo.it reported - the risk is to reach an output that is over 30% more than the average. "In January - he forecast - there will be a crisis." The only hope is an "increase in consumption due to influenza A," said Pirracchio.

 

Bad weather, especially some hailstorms in some regions near Catania - said Pirracchio - has damaged part of the produce. However, "for some varieties like Navelina - he stressed - I expect there will be greater appreciation in the market."

 

The clementines season of Calabria started "a couple of weeks later than average, mainly because of the heat," Giovanni Mastrangelo of the PGI Calabria Clementines Consortium told Corriereortofrutticolo.it. "Nevertheless, the size and quality of the products are good, and there is good demand, especially from abroad, with a +40% compared to 2008."

 

Demand for clementines also comes from Eastern Europe, although often these countries do not request the top of the product range. The most demanding market as for quality is rather Germany"- the website Corriereortofrutticolo.it reported. Exports accounts for 30% of the Calabria-based consortium turnover. The percentage is gradually increasing. The outlet countries are in particular Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine and Russia.

 

 

"The last few years - said Mastrangelo - we also tested a channel with the U.S. and Canada, but the shipping was too long (45 days) to ensure the delivery of the product in perfect condition. So we decided to focus on closer markets such as northern Europe, where the fruit arrives in 48 hours."