The campaign for Tacle - a cross between clementines and Tarocco oranges with seedless pulp, thin skin and reddish streaks that make the product aesthetically appealing - has just started.
Tacle
"This is a citrus fruit that is widespread in eastern Sicily, especially around Mount Etna and in the Catania Plain, an area specialised in citrus production," explains Carmelo Frisenna of Uniterra Sicilia Group / Arancia Loretta. "We count on starting the first harvesting operations in a few days' time, when we will have reached the right degree of ripeness, in order to respond to the requests we receive from Italian and foreign mass retailers. This is a fairly niche product compared to the Sicilian and international citrus scene, which stands out for its particular organoleptic properties, starting with an intense flavour. For young people, especially in central and northern Europe, Tacle is much appreciated for the absence of seeds and fruits that reach and exceed a weight of 100/200 grams, making it a perfect snack during breaks."
Carmelo Frisenna
"The production window is of about 70 days, which is also a characteristic that makes it highly sought after. However, between our own production and that of our trusted suppliers, we do have some margin for those buyers who want to integrate some supplies with our product. Our Miyagawa tangerines also did well, with a respectable sales campaign this year that ended about a month ago. The bulk of our production is made up of blond and blood oranges. The latter should be ready between late December and early January, while the commercialisation of blond oranges has already been going on for a few weeks. As always, everything will depend on the weather and the temperatures, as the fruits need the right ones to develop the right colouring."
Blond oranges
"A natural product like ours is determined by nature and, therefore, if colouring, size and appearance are in a certain way, then that is proof of a product that has not been forced or treated to change its appearance. Consumers, and buyers too, must be educated to assess the quality of a product not based on its grade or perfection of the peel, but on the flavour, freshness, and safety that are often encapsulated in Sicilian citrus fruits. How much is a healthy and genuine product, perhaps slightly smaller and with a slightly imperfect peel, worth compared to an orange that e.g. has travelled tens of thousands of nautical miles, with the added burden of releasing pollutants into the atmosphere, and of which we know little about? How are they produced and with what pesticides? What kind of labour is employed? Under what conditions?"
Blonde oranges in a box
"We would like to emphasise that we produce and pay taxes in Italy, in Europe. Our productions are located at a relatively short distance from the major consumer markets of our continent. We comply with all Italian laws regulating the sector, which have always been the most stringent on an international level. The choice for European consumers should be quite simple, we believe."
For more information:
Carmelo Frisenna
Uniterra Sicilia Group / Arancia Loretta
+39 348 1329705
[email protected]
www.arancialoretta.com