Organic Sicilian oranges with satisfactory calibers

Despite the unfavorable climate of the last few months, the Sicilian citrus campaign is continuing in a somewhat steady pace. According to Monica Solarino, co-owner with her brother Giuseppe of Bioagricola F.lli Solarino, which produces blonde oranges, grapefruits and lemons - all organic - in south-eastern Sicily, from Noto to Ispica, "the fruit on the trees is very good, with excellent overall quality, and the trees are the most loaded they have been in a long time."

Giuseppe and Monica Solarino

"The size of the blonde oranges this year was also good, at least for us," says Solarino. "Our area is ideal for the cultivation of blonde oranges because of its proximity to the sea.

In particular, we grow the New Hall variety, which is characterized by a very high vitamin C content and a low limonin content, which makes it highly sought after by savvy consumers. Other varieties we grow include the Cara Cara Orange, which is characterized by a very pigmented fruit and a high content of lycopene. We also grow the Star Ruby variety of pink grapefruit, a variety that needs little introduction to the industry experts; it is very productive and is in great demand on the international markets."

Oranges with the "Vincenzo guarantees! label

"We put our face on our products," continues the entrepreneur, "and we've even associated the name of a member of our family with each variety. For example, we decided to call the blonde orange Emma, named after my oldest daughter. Why did we do this? Because the idea is to show that we value the produce we grow in the same way that we value our loved ones, with special care and attention. The common thread is good nutrition and health! In fact, we always guarantee the edibility of the peel because we do not treat our fruit before or after harvesting. And because we want to be a reliable supplier when it comes to health matters, we put a label on the product with the face of my nephew Vincenzo, Giuseppe's son and co-owner of Bioagricola F.lli Solarino. Other examples are the pink grapefruit called Giacy, which is the nickname of my son Giacinto, and our lemons named after my father, with the trademark "The lemons of Cavalier Don Vincenzo."

Sustainable packaging (with four fruits) made from wood

"Sustainability is also about packaging," the expert points out. "We recently launched a new four-fruit package made of a completely natural material, printed with watercolors to prevent the print from being transferred to the fruit and to ensure that the ink does not come into contact with the product. The FSC marks on the products appear with FSC certified labels. These labels can only be used by certified companies. They guarantee that the product you're buying is made of wood or paper from environmentally friendly sources.”

"All our packaging is completely plastic-free," says Solarino. Sustainability also means respecting water resources. Here, we use subirrigation systems with very low dispersion. Irrigation is based on information obtained from regular inspections with drones that fly over the citrus groves and provide important data on the hydration needs of the plants and possible outbreaks of plant diseases, which can be combated, as well as the treatments that may be necessary, which are precise and almost surgical. In addition, our farm is equipped with photovoltaic panels that supply the pumps that lift the water. All these actions contribute to the reduction of our carbon footprint and are becoming essential practices for the preservation of the planet."

'The Cavalier' Vincenzo with Giuseppe Solarino, at the latest edition of BIOBEURS in the Netherlands

"We promote biodiversity through simple but important measures," Monica Solarino continues. "For example, we leave untilled areas around our citrus groves. This leaves space for wildlife and provides a home for wild flora and fauna! Communicating all these details about the company has a great impact on our international customers, because it conveys the idea behind our commitment to sustainability in agriculture and, above all, to the health of our products to protect the end consumer."

Commercial trend
"At the moment, we are noticing that the presence of competing countries is felt above all in the markets of Belgium, France and the Netherlands - the interviewee concludes - where Spain is particularly competitive regarding prices, with a difference of around 35% compared to our price lists. Unfortunately, economic logic often prevails over other factors. Our focus remains on careful agronomic management for a healthy product. We will continue to communicate these values at trade shows by participating in as many events as possible. For example, we recently participated in Biobeurs in the Netherlands, while we are already preparing for Fruit Logistica 2024. We will also be present with two stands at the Biofach trade fair.”