The Satsuma mandarin season has already started in the Valencian Community, in Spain, with the first Iwasaki, Okitsu and Owari mandarins, which have arrived 15 days earlier than last year. The fruit has a good taste, although sizes are smaller in general as a result of an overly dry spring and summer.
"We have started harvesting the first Satsumas of the season on week 36, about two weeks earlier than usual because the fruit already had the right color and Brix," says Sergio Orobal, Manager of Catman Fresh.
The Valencian company, which has just celebrated its 20th anniversary, is kicking off the domestic citrus season with the first shipments to Scandinavian countries such as Sweden, Finland and Germany, as well as to the Netherlands for re-export. In around 15 days, it will also start exporting Satsumas to the United Kingdom, one of the main consumers of this type of citrus.
"Due to the prolonged drought in recent years, which has also resulted in a rather dry spring and summer, sizes are generally smaller than at the beginning of last season, especially for the Okitsu variety, of the Satsuma family, but also for the early clementines that will start to be harvested in mid-September and for the Navelina oranges," says Sergio Orobal. "It is likely that some clementine varieties will be partly left unharvested due to their small sizes," he says.
According to Sergio Orobal, in general, the Spanish mandarin and orange harvest is expected to be larger than last year. "It only seems that there will be a smaller quantity of Clemenules and there could be more speculation, although not higher prices. However, there will be larger volumes of other varieties. As for oranges, there will be a slight drop in the province of Valencia, but production will recover in Andalusia, the largest orange growing area in Spain, after two years of severe drought."
European markets have started to receive South African Tango, Nadorcott, Orri and Queen mandarins, among other varieties, although a lower supply is expected this year due to the impact of adverse weather conditions in the country of origin, which have taken an even bigger toll on oranges. "The majority of British chains tend to extend the marketing of overseas fruit, but in continental Europe they will start earlier with the Spanish products," says the Manager of Catman Fresh, which marketed around 30 million kilos last season and this year is aiming to grow by 10% in terms of volume.
Catman Fresh will be exhibiting again at the next edition of Fruit Attraction in Madrid, where it will be celebrating its 20th anniversary at stand 7B01A in Hall 7.
For more information:
Sergio Orobal
Catman Fresh
Camino de Iryda, s/n
03190 Pilar de la Horadada, Alicante. Spain
Tel: +34 966 747 902
[email protected]
www.catmanfresh.com