The first shipment of Ako and Shani pomegranates from Agrexco has left Israel today.
Agrexco believes Mitzpe Shalem, near the Dead Sea, to be the first cultivation area in the northern hemisphere that has started harvesting pomegranates.
The 20 hectares of production of the Ako and Shani varieties - to be followed by small quantities of Wonderful - are expected to yield 10 tonnes of fruit, exclusively exported by Agrexco.
These quantities represent the start of a wider production plan for the fruit to be ready as an early-season project in the next few years - exclusively for Agrexco customers around the world.
Agrexco product manager Bezalel Madmon said that the first shipment was loaded on a Carmel vessel today, to be followed by the next shipment a week later.
He added: “After a short break, pomegranates from other cultivation areas will join and assure continuous supply until February 2010.”
Agrexco aims to export 10 million pomegranates this season - a total of 6,500t.
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