Pomegranates have come into fashion lately as a healthy and interesting fruit that can form a more regular part of consumers’ diets.

The Californian crop is just starting to hit the European market, and production conditions have fallen into line to produce a vintage crop, according to sources.

“Mother Nature has been kind to California pomegranate harvesters this year,” says Tom Tjerandsen, manager of the Pomegranate Council. “Each year we have been experiencing a steady move upward in total shipments and we expect this year to show the same rate of growth.”

Demand from the UK remains steady, with consumers continuing to look out for the fruit, and retailers “recognising the exceptional profit inherent in California pomegranates,” according to Tjerandsen. “Unless there is an unanticipated surge in worldwide demand, we expect to supply our UK customers with top-quality pomegranates well into January,” he adds.

Wonderful remains the major variety produced in California, and although new breeding work is taking place, no other variety yet looks likely to challenge its prominence.

As a relatively young industry, growers are still learning the best techniques to produce pomegranates, and that means there should be potential for further growth in future.

“This year quality has been fantastic, taste has been great, colour has been better than in the last couple of years – I think we’re having a fantastic season,” says Brad Paris, general manager at POM Wonderful. “The weather is part of it, but we’ve also tried to be more gentle in handling the fruit from the tree. It’s still relatively new in understanding how pomegranates behave in different conditions, so we’re learning more and more.”

With almost double the crop this year, there could be fears of an oversupply, but Tjerandsen says the domestic US market has easily been able to absorb the increased production as there are still large parts of the country where the fruit is relatively unknown.

And with young trees planted between 2006-2008 now maturing, it bodes well for the continued expansion of the California industry.

Meanwhile, in Israel exports are in full swing, with early varieties Ako, Emak, Shani and Hershkovitz having kicked off the season in Europe in August and September, and Wonderful targeted at the European and Russian markets from October.

This year Israeli producers expect to export around 25,000 tonnes of the fruit, according to Yoav Nakash, pomegranate manager for Galilee Export, which will itself sell 500t of early varieties and 1,500t of Wonderful. The company’s growers are based in both the east and west Galil area, as well as the south of the country.

And interest in pomegranates means a wider spread of potential customers is opening up, says Nakash. “Israeli growers are developing other markets such as South Africa, China and a few other countries in the Far East, so the growth in volumes will not affect returns.”

With production from various sources looking healthy, the next stage is to continue to grow consumer demand, and Paris believes there is real potential to enthuse the public further by showing them the many usage possibilities of the fruit. —