Despite limited availability of large-caliber oranges, Spanish citrus fruits have been able to meet demand so far. "In that regard, the season has started well for us," reports Stefan Lindner, fruit importer and managing director of the family business of the same name, based in Frankfurt's Fresh Centre. "In general, Spanish oranges are not as round as usual, which is due to the weather of the past few months. They have an average slightly elongated shape, which is not optimal. In addition, they were very pale at the beginning due to the high temperatures. However, their colouring has already improved significantly."
The issue of water availability continues to gain relevance in the Spanish citrus growing regions. Lindner: "If the autumn is too dry, it affects the development of the fruits in such a way that they do not grow as large. Especially at the beginning of the season, there are few sizes 1 and 1/2 available."
Sporadic rainfall, such as occurred in December, is good for the sizes, but also leads to an increased susceptibility to mold of the current harvest. "For produce that does without fungicides and preservatives, like our Diana brand premium oranges, this is of course counterproductive. Accordingly, there can occasionally be a shortage of goods, as we do not load goods in the rain. However, this ensures that the peel remains edible." The same applies to the clementines of the established proprietary brand, he adds.
The 22/23 season was also rather difficult for DIANA due to the rain (FreshPlaza.de reported), Lindner continues. Nonetheless, there was a good demand, also in southern Germany. The decisive factor is not only the weather in the origin, but also in Germany. "Temperatures slightly above freezing are optimal for us, as the demand for citrus fruits is usually high."
The management of Lindner company with Stefan Lindner (l).
At the same time, such conditions are also optimal for the specialist trade, especially for mobile trade at weekly markets. "Because in this case there is no black ice or snow to keep customers at home and the goods do not suffer frost damage. Therefore, I was looking forward to the Christmas business and now at the further course of the season," concludes Lindner.
Photos: Lindner GmbH
For more information:
Stefan Lindner
Lindner GmbH
Fruit Import and Trading Company
Josef-Eicher-Strasse 10
D-60437 Frankfurt
phone +49 (69) 40 10 08-0
fax +49 (69) 40 10 08-25
[email protected]
http://www.lindnerfood.de