Davidi Hayman, stone-fruit product manager at Agrexco, Israel's leading agricultural export company, told the FPJ: “This sector “has the potential to become a major export item in Israel's export basket, as evidenced by its development and growth during the last two years”.
Growers ñ many of them from the Upper Galilee region ñ are constantly expanding their plantations, building cold storage facilities and modern packhouses, and establishing direct deals with buyers in Europe, especially in the UK, which is the main market for Israel's stone-fruit items.
Hayman says that the export of apricots starts in early May, before European-grown apricots reach the markets. The demand for the Israeli apricots extends until the beginning of June, when apricots from France and Spain are sent in large volumes to market destinations throughout Europe. “Apricots are the only fruit that we send by air, whereas plums and nectarines are sent by sea transport in temperature-controlled containers,” he adds.
The main sales destination for the Israeli stone fruit is unsurprisingly the multiple retail sector. “Agrexco caters to the specific requirements of each of its customers regarding packaging, weight-contents, and supply-dates. The tailor-made supply system is part of our strategy,” says Hayman.
Sefi Ben-Dor can be credited with enhancing the development of stone-fruit cultivation and export potential in Israel. The unique varieties that were bred and developed at the Ben-Dor farm, a family enterprise in Yesod Hama'ala in the Upper Galilee provides distinct marketing advantages and opportunities, and direct deals with chains in the UK gave them exclusive marketing rights for several apricot, nectarine and plum varieties developed by Ben-Dor Nurseries.
The export of plums is the largest in volume and in number of varieties, which now stands at 10. “These special varieties,” explains Hayman, “compete successfully with European-grown plums due to their unique taste and quality.” The export of plums starts at the end of May and continues through to the end of November. The fruit is all shipped by sea from Ashdod to Marseilles and reaches sales destinations in the UK, Holland, and Scandinavia by land transport, in a continuous cooling chain system aimed at preserving the freshness and quality of the fruit.
Ben-Dor says that he plans to export 1,200 tonnes of apricots, nectarines and plums through Agrexco this season, mainly to the UK, Holland, Scandinavia, Greece, but also to Kenya, which in the last few years has become an important customer for Israeli stone fruit.
The export of nectarines from Israel to Europe is divided into two periods: autumn export, from mid September, at the time when locally-grown supply ends, until mid October; and spring export, in May. Hayman notes that the strategy is to come to market with Israeli nectarines “only at a time of shortage”.
Ben-Dor Nurseries exports its fruits and has signed agreements with growers in Chile, Australia and New Zealand for cultivating and marketing Ben-Dor's registered varieties. Ben-Dor commented that by doing so, “our varieties are available almost 12 months a year. We breed and grow varieties of stone fruit which differ in colour and size, time of ripening and supply schedules, shape, taste, shelf-life and yield stability from other varieties, which all provides us with clear marketing advantages.”
Ben-Dor Fruits has ISO 2000 accreditation for its packhouse and fruit export and EurepGAP 2003 accreditation for its deciduous fruit plantations.
Some of its most notable plum varieties are: New Queen ñ a dark plum, which is very juicy and sweet and ripe in August; Lemon ñ a yellow, elongated plum that ripens in early August; Arlamon ñ a yellow-orange plum, ripens in July and August; Maria ñ a red plum, marketed from the beginning of September; and Light Lemon, a yellow variety that is available at the end of September.
The main apricot varieties are MGM 311, early May ripening time; Hula Blush ñ early-mid May; Orange-Gold 310 ñ which ripens in early June, a big, tasty and aromatic type; and 322 ñ a big-fruiting apricot that is available from mid June.
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