New Covent Garden Market (NCGM) welcomed the first arrivals of South African satsumas to the UK this week.
The fruit was grown in the country’s northern provinces and supplied to the wholesale market by Capespan.
Despite a slightly late start to the season, Capespan trading director Martin Dunnett described the quality of the fruit as “fantastic”.
He told freshinfo: “The quality is superb and the fruit is coming onto a good market for easy peelers. It is not a hugely late start, but volumes will be tight until Easter, as growers are waiting for product to reach the right sugar levels. But the particular grower supplying this first fruit grows in a real microclimate.”
Capespan is expecting a good season for satsumas. Dunnett said: “The devaluation of the rand against sterling is not as marked as sterling against the euro. The UK market is still a good prospect for South African growers.”
The first volumes destined for retail are scheduled to hit the aisles next week.
