UK imports of easy-to-peel mandarin set to rise
Currently, global demand for the Jaffa Orri was outstripping supply, with 90,000t produced last year.
However, improved cultivation and crop protection methods meant the annual crop was expected to reach 135,000t in 2017, and was forecast to eventually reach 200,000t, Israel’s Plant Production and Marketing Board (PPMB) said.
‘Double exports of the fruit’
“We set ambitious goals to increase Orri export volumes in 2017, and hope to double exports of the fruit by 2020,” said Tal Amit, head of the citrus sector at the PPMB.
The Orri was developed by scientists at the Volcani Research Center in Bet-Dagan. It is claimed to have very few seeds, a long shelf-life, a sweet flavour and a spicy aroma.
“The high demand is due to the fruit’s remarkable flavour,” Amit added.
