Spanish growers of kakifruit, or persimmon, are expecting a record crop this year after three dismal seasons in a row when late spring frosts towards the end of March severely damaged crops.
This year producers are expecting a harvest of some 40,000 tonnes of fruit under the denomination of origin Ribera del Xuquer - almost five times recent averages. This coupled with production that falls outside the specifications of the DO within the Valencia region will give Spain its record crop.
Although the effects of harsh spring frosts in February on many Spanish horticultural lines have been well documented, persimmon was unaffected. This is because the fruit was still in dormancy on the trees. The result is a healthy crop in volume and quality terms that will prove a saving grace for its growers who have seen their citrus crops suffer. Strong pricing in past seasons has also encouraged producers as their returns from citrus have struggled.
Growers are therefore hopeful that their volumes this season will really help them promote their product and even open up new markets. Promotions will continue in Germany and France and the UK will benefit this season from a concerted promotional push organised by Foods From Spain with funding from the Spanish foreign trade authorities. Spain will also get its biggest promotion yet for the fruit with funding from growers supplemented by a substantial sum from the regional executive in Valencia - the main growing region for the fruit.
There is investment and research in the sector in Spain and the main concentration is on storage and product breakdown in the cool chain.
The harvest is in full swing and the season is expected to last until December, but with such large volumes to market and new plantings coming on stream, perfecting storage techniques will be vital in the future.
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