Israeli citrus is a category that has undergone major changes within the past few years, but after a period of prolonged instability it seems as though prospects are beginning to brighten.
Having overcome a lack of investment and political instability, the start of this year was marked by a surge in new plantings ñ part of a programme that began two years ago. Data from the Citrus Marketing Board of Israel (CMBI) puts the figure at 600ha of new groves, with plantings in central Israel, a prime area for growing Shamouti, Navel and Valencia Late, and north west Negev an area which is beneficial for the production of Or and Mor, both of which fetched good export prices last year.
Companies such as Mehadrin Tnuport Export (MTEX), the country's largest citrus grower/exporter have been at the forefront of new plantations, while citrus is quickly becoming high on the list of Agrexco's exports. As a result of subsequent changes in category management within the multiples, Agrexco now aims to build its client-base to operate with customers who would benefit from working with Agrexco and Jaffa labels.
Part of the current wave of optimism in Israel's citrus industry can be put down to the fact that demand for easy-peelers continues to soar. “It's a huge market, that has seen a consistent increase,” says Dov Warmen, managing director of Mehadrin Tnuport Marketing (UK).
In the past four to five years Suntina and Or have been central varieties to the company's expansion and the trees are now beginning to come on stream, although forecasts are low for this year. “This season there was a reduction of around 50 per cent because of the heatwave during pollination.” Warmen explains.
Suntina is another easy-peel success and the crop is expected to be 30 per cent higher than last season. A hybrid of Clementine and Orlando the fruit has a sweet flavour, high sugar and low acid ratio, and is deep orange in colour. Apart from its physical characteristics Suntina is ideal because it fits into a perfect slot for the UK market, ripening in mid-December through to March. “Pre-Christmas there are a lot of demands on the market at a time when there are vast quantities available from Spain,” says Warmen, “but the post-Christmas period is very different. Israel has high-quality fruit available at this time. There are, of course, late varieties from Spain around at this time, but Israel has a valuable window.
“Intelligent marketing and variety development equate to good marketing opportunities,” says Warmen. “There is a strong consumer demand and we can meet that by giving the consumer exactly what they want ñ easy-peel, seedless, great-tasting fruit.”
Despite a growing preference for Suntina and Or, UK consumers still have a place in their hearts for the original Jaffa orange ñ the seedless Shamouti. This has a relatively long season, coming on stream from the end of January through to April. It has a thick, easy-to-peel skin with a distinct flavour and a well-established following in the UK.
As a whole Jaffa-branded fruit has been a resounding success in the UK and this has led MTEX to secure year-round supplies by sourcing fruit out of the Israeli season, predominantly in South Africa.
Israel's citrus portfolio does not solely rely on oranges and its offer is strengthened by the addition of grapefruit.
“The citrus market for Agrexco is continuing to go from strength to strength with the season having started last month,” says citrus product manager Yenon Osem. “Having witnessed the changes within the industry, Agrexco is focussing heavily on the UK market to gain a better idea of what the consumer wants in order for them to supply the right products in the correct quantities.
“Importantly, we have established new plantations of red grapefruit where produce can benefit from hot days with an extreme drop in temperature at night, resulting in perfect fruit. We are also moving towards supplying white grapefruit directly from the trees as opposed to from storage. The fruit is far sweeter, juicier and tastier as it has been left on the trees longer, allowing the natural sugars to develop fully. It will also enable us to offer a totally fresh product at the end of the season.”
From its overall citrus portfolio, MTEX expects to export 85 per cent of its production ñ around 120,000 tonnes, with 40,000t going to the UK. The first of MTEX's Jaffa White and Sunrise grapefruits are now in-store, having arrived into a very short market because South African fruit finished early. MTEX predicts a crop of white grapefruit that will be similar to last season at 30,000t, while red grapefruit is anticipated to be 20 per cent lower than last year's 40,000t.
“The first varieties began at the end of September with White Marsh and Red Sunrise,” says Warmen. “The colour on the red is very exciting because it's so vibrant and fresh. The yellow grapefruit crop has also experienced a good skin finish. We've had excellent growing conditions this year and the Israeli climate produces good quality fruit at a consistently high level.”
Pomelo is really taking off in the UK. “The demand is huge from the UK this year,” says Warmen. “This season we finished red pomelo a month early because of the huge demand ñ it's really been a unique season.”
Organic red grapefruit and sweetie organic are also making ripples in the UK market, but demand is stable, as opposed to soaring.
Israel's citrus industry may be long established but it has not been immune to instability. Founded in the 19th century, it wasn't until after the First World War that an export orientated industry was developed. In its early years citrus played a leading role in the development of the economy and was the dominant export industry. In 1950, for example, exports of fresh citrus fruit contributed to nearly half of the country's total exports. Later, the relative importance of citrus exports declined due to the accelerated growth of the industrial sector.
But renewed confidence in the industry should see this trend reversed. “Land and water are precious commodities here,” says Warmen, “and the equation needs to be rebalanced. The Israeli citrus industry is very high-tech and having reached an equilibrium, is now going forward with new plantings.”
In many ways Israel is the birthplace of technical excellence, led by the Volcani Institute in terms of growing and packing techniques and variety development and has exported much of its expertise and development.
“There are no problems with labour any more and desalination projects are continuing. Last year though, it rained a great deal. All of the reservoirs are full ñ so let's hope that this year it's the same,” he says.
Israeli companies also continue to move towards certification. Agrexco for example, has invested heavily in supporting its growers in their endeavours to obtain the EurepGAP benchmark. “Having already achieved Ecofresh accreditation, our packhouses are concentrating on any additional technical issues required by EurepGAP,” says Osem. “We are currently experimenting with white grapefruit, leaving the fruit longer on the trees to ripen naturally. This will provide us with a sweeter fruit and a longer season.”
Agrexco also has new plantations of oranges and easy peelers under the control of one grower. “We are looking to have a great season,” says Osem. “The weather has been perfect for citrus and we are confident that the taste and quality of the fruit will be all that consumers have come to expect from us.”
Certainly Israel benefits from an ideal climate when it comes to citrus production. “It's a unique climate for citrus growing and one that complements Spanish production because of its window. We have a warmer climate with even temperatures and less variation in the weather. The microclimates are fascinating and allow us to spread our production on a broader base,” says Warmen.
The country has also benefited from new plantings of strategic varieties, better water management and commercial quantities of premium varieties and ultimately, says Warmen and the long-term future of the industry is one of expansion and gain. “Israeli citrus has not stood still,” he says, “there are whole new areas under production and new premium varieties. There has been a consolidation of the industry and there's a lot more confidence and efficiency.
With a strong offer of pre-Christmas grapefruit and post Christmas soft citrus, Warmen concludes: “At last we are succeeding.”
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