After a very good flowering and fruit set, the limes grown by the producers of the Valencian SAT Unió de Productors de Cítrics d'Oliva (UPCO), which this year can be marketed under the Parcs Naturals de la Comunitat Valenciana brand, will hit the market a little earlier than in previous years in a season "with great quality fruit," says Salvador Llorca.
"We are really excited about this season, in which we'll be able to sell our limes under a quality seal awarded by the Regional Council for the Environment to natural products grown in an environmentally-friendly manner within the area of the Natural Parks of the Valencia Region."
"Our limes are grown with a reduced carbon and nitrogen footprint, and are marketed without them undergoing any post-harvest treatment. They are in the exclusive position of being limes of local production in the European market that are also certified as a natural product; something that no other imported lime currently offers."
"We started the harvest this week, carefully selecting the best sizes to be able to offer our clients limes larger than 50 mm and with a high juice content throughout the entire season."
"We have seen packs of limes on supermarket shelves containing fruit with a diameter of 48 and even 46 mm and very low juice contents. Our approach is much more traditional, with a selection process that starts in the field to make sure only acceptable sizes and quality fruit are marketed."
"Also, compared to fruit from overseas, which usually takes 4 weeks to reach Europe plus all the days it takes for it to reach its destination from the ports of arrival (mainly Rotterdam), our fruit arrives in Perpignan in just 72 hours after being harvested. Therefore, it offers incomparable freshness," he says.
France is, in fact, one of the main export destinations for UPCO limes. "Limes are appreciated in the French market and, in recent years, they have also shown to truly appreciate the value of local produce. This year, we also aim to strengthen our sales in France, because with farms in full production and fruit coming also from younger plantations, we are expecting an increase in our volumes."
Limes will be the first product of the new citrus season of the Unió de Productors de Cítrics d'Oliva, which will continue with clementines (starting with the Marisol) and oranges. "This year, we are seeing a little more production in all the citrus varieties we grow, and we are facing the campaign with optimism. In spite of the fact that the second part of last season was terrible, we still have good prospects, because the first part of the season, which will start for the earliest varieties in a matter of weeks, will kick off with interesting prices."
"Nonetheless, for now we are focusing on the lime season, which is really exciting for us. We have started with small quantities that are already on pallets ready to be shipped to the Balearic Islands, which will be receiving our first limes. By the end of August/early September we will already have enough volumes to be able to supply all our domestic and export clients."
For more information:
Sat 644 CV Unió de Productors de Cítrics d'Oliva
P.º Alcalde Juan Sancho, 2, 1.º A
46780 Oliva
Valencia. Spain
Tel.: +34 659 84 69 95 / +34 696 41 13 26
Email: [email protected]