Exotics specialists were out in full force in Berlin last week, with some even exhibiting their country’s wares for the very first time.
Iranian grower and exporter Sepid Nima, the country’s first exporter to be awarded Tesco Nature’s Choice certification, showcased its Sarah Pome variety of pomegranates for the first time. “We exported 150 tonnes to Europe in 2006,” said Ali Karam Barangi, who is in charge of marketing the fruit in Europe. “This quantity more than doubled in 2007.”
Barangi cited the fruit’s advantages, including its high antioxidant content and a brix level of 19, making it much sweeter than the pomegranates grown in Spain, Israel or Egypt.
“The growing popularity of the fruit in Europe has caused Korean and Japanese markets to lose their status as primary importers,” he added.
Madagascar also had a presence for the very first time, thanks to its lychee exporters. With 70 per cent market share, the island in the Indian Ocean is Europe’s most important lychee supplier. The country grows nearly 100,000t of the fruit each year, a quarter of which is exported.
The main harvesting period is November to January, when European demand also reaches its peak. Exporters were looking to seek new markets in eastern Europe.
This was also the first year that Vietnamese producer and wholesaler Hoang Exotic Fruit Export Corp displayed its exotic fruit and vegetables. Exhibits included pitahayas from Vietnam, grown by the GlobalGAP-certified company.
With an annual production of 300t on 30 hectares, pitahaya is the company’s leading export product. According to general manager Hoang Tan Dinh, most is shipped to the Netherlands.
“Demand is huge and the quality of our fruit is clearly better than from Thailand,” said Dinh.
The company also exports pomelos, rambutans, ginger, okra pods and yams, all of which are grown on an additional 70ha.
The Hoang Exotic Fruit Export Corp presented lychees in Berlin, dried in a special process, that have the consistency of dried plums and a rich and aromatic taste. “We’re planning to market more products in eastern Europe, Canada and western Europe,” said Dinh.
