Event takes a deep dive into the productive and market outlook for Persimon kakis
Almost 350 industry professionals attended Anecoop’s inaugural Kaki Persimon Group Congress on Thursday in Carlet, Valencia. The event was an opportunity for cooperative members that make up the company’s Persimon Group to delve into the productive, commercial and market landscape facing producers of kaki persimmon.
Topics covered ranged from technical aspects surrounding its cultivation, to the evolution of commercial management and marketing strategies.
During his inauguration, the president of the Persimon Group, Álvaro Nogués, highlighted the fundamental role of cooperatives in the evolution of this product, noting: “The cooperatives invested and believed in it when it was only a promise, and the success of its development led us to launch the Persimon Group of Anecoop in 2009, which has unquestionably contributed to the commercial development and expansion of the product in many markets”.
Twenty-two cooperatives currently make up Anecoop’s Kaki Persimon Group, which was created to bring together producers of Rojo Brillante kakis with a view to homogenising quality standards and promotional activities in a bid to boost sales of the fruit.
Today, its success can be measured by the fact that Anecoop is the leading producer and marketer of persimmons in Europe, accounting for more than 50 per cent of Spain’s export volume.
Anecoop president Alejandro Monzón said the success of the development of the Persimon kaki lies in “the high level of professionalism and specialisation of the entire chain, from research, through production, post-harvest quality, warehouse work, commercial planning and product promotion, all of which is the result of our innovative drive”.
Persimon is the commercial brand of the Kaki Ribera del Xúquer Designation of Origin, which was created to differentiate persimmons of the Rojo Brillante variety, which is firm when ripe and has a sweet taste and distinctive orange colour. The variety is a natural source of vitamins A and C and has excellent nutritional properties, Anecoop said.
