Californian company Paramount Citrus is adding to its 30,000 acres of citrus with the purchase of 1,000 acres of land to expand its clementine production and growth of its Cuties California Clementines brand.

David Krause, president of Paramount Citrus, said: “The George family members have been excellent stewards of this land for generations, and we’re excited to add such premium holdings to our portfolio of citrus properties”.

Paramount Citrus plans to convert the land for Clementine production by 2011. Meanwhile, the company will lease the land to deciduous crop-operators. The purchase, which is expected to be complete in mid-December, is for land only and does not include former owners the George Brothers business or packing facility.

“We’re a citrus company and will stay one. This purchase further positions Paramount for future growth and success, and we see this as an opportunity to continue meeting our customers’ growing demand for citrus, particularly Clementines and the Cuties California Clementines brand,” Krause said.

In October, Paramount Citrus announced the expansion of its organic navel acreage by more than 300 acres, making the company the single largest grower of organic navels in the U.S. In March it also purchased an operation in Mexico that added 6,000 acres, primarily for lemons, to the company’s portfolio.

Paramount Citrus is the largest integrated grower, shipper and packer of fresh citrus, including Clementine mandarins, Navel oranges, Valencia oranges, lemons and other citrus varieties, in the U.S.

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