Jaffa Suntina, the first Israeli easy-peel variety of the season, will arrive in the UK later this week.
Marketed by citrus producer Mehadrin Tnuport Export (MTEX), peak Suntina volumes should run from late December through to mid-February, with smaller volumes expected to run into March.
Total export volumes have shown consistent growth over the last few years of around two to three per cent a year, although production volumes remain relatively stable.
MTEX UK’s general manager Marius du Plessis said: “This year, as a consequence of extreme hot weather across the growing regions, we are expecting a lower yield of Suntina, but the taste of the fruit is excellent.”
Suntina is a virtually seedless, hybrid mandarin - the result of a cross between Fina Clementine and the orlando tangelo.
Approximately 95 per cent of fruit sold through UK supermarkets will be sold prepacked, most of which will carry the Jaffa brand.
sraeli Suntina competes with Moroccan and Spanish clementines as well as Turkish Suntina. Israel’s product has several points of difference, said du Plessis.
No comments yet