October freshletter_UK

OCTOBER 2019

































www.froutonea.gr


















The kiwi season begins with good omens





Grapes

Do we face a change


or we are still on the same track?





Apples


They will not be many this season





Froutonea



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Athens - Greece
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ADVERTISED COMPANIES

COMPANY PAGE
MENELAOS 2ND COVER

TEX 1

POLITIS 3

SOULIS 7

AGROFRESH 13

NOVATEC 19
Kiwis: Good omens at the beginning
A.C.ELIOS 23 of the new greek season.
HELLAGRO 3RD COVER
Grapes: Do we face a change or we are
KIKU BACKCOVER
still on the same track?


Apples: Few and with quality problems
in Greece.


Pomegranates: Quantity losses, but quality
excellence for the new Italian season.



4 FRESHLETTER









ÒKiwis





THE SEASON BEGINS WITH GOOD NEWS!



The kiwi season has already begun for the early varieties
and everything shows that it will be different than the last difficult season.









At this point, let’s note
down that according to

IKO conference, the kiwi
production of Greece will

be around 220.000-240.000
tons, Italy will produce

371.000 tons, France 55.000
tons, Spain 20.000 tons

and Portugal 27.000 tons.

We are going through week 37 and most The fruit quality Apart from Europe, the kiwi
producers are getting ready to start har- What is really important about the new production of Iran will be
vesting Hayward variety, which will start season is the quality of the fruit. According
in mid-October, according to the Ministry to the agronomists, this season there will important as it will
of Agriculture. be lots of small calibers and what worries
The estimations of the sector show low- them is that at some areas there are ki- reach 220.000 tons
er volume 15-20%, in comparison with wis that do not have the proper shape. All
last year. The fall will be bigger in the ar- these problems have been caused by the
ea of Kavala and less in Pieria, whereas Ar- weather conditions during spring that have
ta faces some problems due to hail, which not led to good pollination. Another prob-
of course will be covered by the production lem is the lack of rainfalls. Nevertheless, if fulfilled and absorbed quite easily.
of new plantations, so the overall produc- rainfalls take place in October the kiwi cul-
tion volume of the area will be the same tivation will not be facing the above prob- The commercial season
as last year. lems and this is what everyone wishes for. This season the stocks from New Zea-
At this point, let’s note down that ac- land are not many and they are about to
cording to IKO conference, the kiwi pro- The beginning of the season finish in mid - November. This is an advan-
duction of Greece will be around 220.000- According to the Ministry, the harvest tage for the early varieties of kiwis, as the
240.000 tons, Italy will produce 371.000 of Hayward variety will begin on 15th of biggets quantities have already been ab-
tons, France 55.000 tons, Spain 20.000 October. The harvest of Tsexelidis variety sorbed. It is estimated that something
tons and Portugal 27.000 tons. Apart from has already started and the producer pric- similar will happen with Hayward variety
Europe, the kiwi production of Iran will be es are 0,40-0,45 euros /kilo. Regarding the and the interest for Greek kiwis will be re-
important as it will reach 220.000 tons. harvest of Green Light, it has already been ally intense by Christmas time.




OCTOBER 2019

“SLIGHTLY LOWER KIWI VOLUMES

IN THE AREA OF PIERIA THIS SEASON”



The advantages and dangers in the kiwi sector are described
by Mr. Zisis Manosis, General Director of Zeus Kiwi S.A, who
focuses at the topics that were analyzed during IKO conference.













ZISIS MANOSIS

GENERAL DIRECTOR
OF ZEUS KIWI S.A




Mr. Manosis, what are the first esti- Southern Hemisphere are too low this time
mations about the production volume of year, something that is going to be an
of kiwis in the area of Pieria? advantage for the early varieties, such as
The kiwi production in our area will be Green Light.
slightly reduced this season, in compari- The stocks of the Southern
son with last year, but the god news is that Are the low Italian quantities going to
the weather has not provoked any dam- Hemisphere are too low this be an advantage, as far as the trade of
ages yet. Nevertheless, the lack of rain- Greek kiwis is concerned?
falls does not permit us to make accurate time of year, something that The Italian production will not be re-
predictions about kiwi brix levels. The on- duced much this year. It is said that the
ly sure thing is that the first quantities will is going to be an advantage quantities will be lees 10%, in comparison
be cut after 20th of October. for the early varieties, such as with last year. Either way, Italy having less
quantity always is an advantage for us.
Last year you had problems with Green Light.
Halyomorpha Halys. What is the sit- What did the representatives of the
uation this season? sector discuss during IKO confer-
Unfortunately, the problems are more ence?
this season. As I had noted last year Haly- We announced the predictions about the
omorpha Halys is the new enemy of kiwis. new season of kiwis and it came out that
Every method that has been used so far countries with a severe kiwi production
has been ineffective. volume were absent once more this year.
All producers should be aware of this son of kiwis. Which is your first pre- I am talking about China, the biggest pro-
insect and ask their agronomists’ advice. diction? ducer of kiwis worldwide and Iran, which is
This insect does not provoke damages on It is too soon yet and we cannot make estimated to produce around 240.000 tons
the fruit. It makes kiwis fall of the trees. any accurate predictions. For example, last of kiwis this season.
So, if a producer sees kiwi fall, they should year we did not have many quantities and These two countries have not partici-
contact their agronomist. the sector expected high prices, something pated in any IKO conferences so far and we
that never happened. Regarding the new cannot be certain about their exact pro-
Let’s talk about the commercial sea- season, I only know that the stocks of the duction volume of kiwis. .



OCTOBER 2019

6 FRESHLETTER










“THE KIWI PRODUCTION

WILL BE 20-25% LESS THIS SEASON”




The new kiwi season will be good for producers and traders in
Greece, due to the lower volume of Italian kiwis, according to Mr.
Klearxos Sarantidis, Director of Kavala Coop.

















KLEARXOS SARANTIDIS

DIRECTOR OF KAVALA COOP





Mr. Sarantidis, what is new about the Why is the Italian production of kiwis
current season of kiwis? lower than last year?
Everything shows that this season will The weather conditions, the diseases
be similar with 2017. The harvest of Green that have affected the trees during the last
Light has already began and its production I think that the low Italian years and the turn of many producers to
volume will reach 200-300 tons, where- yellow and red kiwi varieties are some of
as Tsexelidis quantities will be harvested quantities will affect the the reasons.
in the end of September and they are esti-
mated to reach 300 tons. season and Greek kiwis
will have a better course
Regarding Hayward kiwis, what will
the production volume be like this with high prices and intense
season?
The hailstorms that took place in our ar- demand.
ea last summer have affected a big part of
our overall production and this is why we
are expecting a fall 20-25%, in comparison
with last year. The calibers will be satis- Info
fying and they will have good quality. The The production of Kavala
harvest is about to begin in mid-October. will be lower 20-25%,
in comparison with last year
What about the commercial season? Beginning of harvest 15th October
What are the first estimations?
Surely the season will have nothing to The market: High price levels and
do with the previous one, which was nega- intense demand
tive for producers and traders



OCTOBER 2019



8 FRESHLETTER










“THERE WILL BE MANY

SMALL-SIZED KIWIS THIS SEASON”



The overall production volume of Greek kiwis will be less 15-20%
this season, in comparison with last year, according to Mr. Ilias
Anastasiadis, Agronomist of Balakanakis Bros Company, who talks
about the small calibers of fruit, the early harvest of some kiwi
varieties and the course of the commercial season.








ILIAS ANASTASIADIS

AGRONOMIST OF
BALAKANAKIS BROS COMPANY



Mr. Anastasiadis, is there any good
news about the new season of kiwis
in Greece?
The first information we have talks
about less production in comparison with
last season (-15-20%). The weather has
affected the production volumes in some
areas and as the time of harvest comes our
estimations are clearer. wondering if the brix levels of kiwis will be
satisfying in mid October, when the harvest
Where are the damages more severe? is estimated to start. So as you can under-
There have been severe damages in Ar- stand the qauantities that are harvested
ta and Xrissoupoli of Kavala. Nevertheless, at the moment are “forbidden” to be mar-
we cannot be accurate about the size of There have been severe keted.
the damages, unless the harvest starts. damages in Arta
Closing the interview, I know it is too
Which is the main characteristic of the and Xrissoupoli of Kavala. soon, but what are your estimations
new kiwi season? about the commercial season of kiwis?
I can say without a doubt that the bad Nevertheless, we cannot Before I talk about the new commer-
weather during the period of blossoming be accurate about the size cial season, let me refer first to last sea-
had led to small calibers of fruit. son, which was not good after all. The pric-
of the damages, unless es reached low levels, despite the fact that
When does the harvest begin? producer prices were 0,40-0,45 euros/kilo. If
The harvest begins officially on 15th of the harvest starts the negative feeling of last season influenc-
October, but the early cuts are really in- es this season too, that is something that
tense this year. This is why many summer I cannot be aware of. The point is that the
fruits, such as peaches, did not have a sat- prices should be good for the consumers. It
isfying commercial course and their pro- has been proved in the past that the con-
ducers rush to move on to the next prod- sumer in Greece will not pay much money
uct of their cultivated areas (i.e. kiwis). The for kiwis. So if prices get high then kiwis will
thing is that especially this season we are be neglected by Greek consumers.



OCTOBER 2019

“THE CULTIVATION OF YELLOW KIWIS

EXPAND IN SOUTHERN ITALY”



Mr. Christos Xyloyiannis, Agronomist and Professor of Basilicata
University in Italy talks about the new season of Italian kiwis, not-
ing down the main problems of the sector.












CHRISTOS XILOYIANNIS

AGRONOMIST – PROFESSOR OF
BASILICATA UNIVERSITY IN ITALY



Mr. Xyloyiannis, can you tell us what
last year was like for Italian kiwis?
Last season did not go well for our ki-
wis, as the fruit had low quality and pric-
es. More precisely, producer prices for Hay-
ward variety reached 0,45-0,70 euros/kilo,
whereas the same prices for bio kiwis were
0,80 euros/kilo. Regarding yellow kiwi va- eas and affected mostly green kiwis which
rieties, their prices reached 1.20-1.50 eu- were not under anti hail nets.
ros/kilo.
What about halyomorpha halys? Are
What are the first estimations about the damages provoked by this insect
the new season of kiwis in Italy? severe in Italy?
The main production areas show a fall Halyomorpha halys has been present in Halyomorpha halys has been
15%, in comparison with last year, small Italy for the last three years, but it hasn’t present in Italy for the last
calibers of fruit and higher costs than the affected kiwis in the South. It is really dif-
Greek ones. Regarding yellow varieties, ficult to deal with and many countries, in- three years, but it hasn’t
things are better this season, as every- cluding Italy are trying to find the most ef-
thing shows that their production will be fective way to stop it from spreading. affected kiwis in the South.
higher than last year. It is really difficult to deal
Does the cultivation of yellow variet-
When does the harvest begin? ies expand? with and many countries,
The areas that gave the first quantities Yes, I see many areas of the South culti-
of yellow kiwis are in the South and be- vating exclusively yellow varieties of kiwis. including Italy are trying
gan at mid-September, whereas the har- This is why they produce more, they are
vest of Hayward variety begins after 15th better in cold temperatures and get high- to find the most effective
of October. Unfortunately, green kiwis will er prices. I have noticed new plantations of way to stop it from spreading
be small sized fruit as the weather was red varieties, but only in greenhouses. The
really bad during the period of blossom- expansion of kiwi cultivation is big and 70-
ing and did not lead to good pollination. 80% of it concerns yellow varieties in Cen-
Hailstorms were also intense at some ar- tral and Southern Italy.



OCTOBER 2019

10 FRESHLETTER








«THE SUNGOLD VARIETY



IS OUR FIRST PRIORITY»




The production increase at the Northern Hemisphere, the priori-
ty of the yellow kiwi SunGold and the all year round supply to all
over the world, are the three “keys” of the Zespri global strategy, as
mentions them Mrs. Sheila McCann-Morrison, Zespri Chief Inter-
national Production Officer. Mrs. McCann-Morrison also explains
the position of Greece in the company’s plans.




When will the last kiwi imports from
New Zealand will arrive in Europe and
at which level do you estimate the to-
tal volume of the imports? Will it be
higher or lower compared to the last
campaign?
We expect our New Zealand-grown
Green Kiwifruit season to finish during late
November, with our New Zealand-grown
SunGold Kiwifruit likely to finish up a little
earlier. We’ll then be supplying fruit from
our European growing partners as part of
our global supply strategy which helps en-
sure that our consumers can access our
premium Zespri Kiwifruit for all 12 months
of the year.

Zespri collaborates with many pro-
ducers of the Northern Hemisphere. SHEILA MC CAN-MORRISON
Could you please give us some details
about the acreage of the Zespri plan- ZESPRI CHIEF INTERNATIONAL
tations in Europe and if there is inter- PRODUCTION OFFICER
est for further expansion?
Zespri has partnered with growers and
postharvest operators in Italy and France
for nearly two decades to grow Zespri Ki-
wifruit so that it remains on shelves for all
12 months of the year.
There are currently around 2,700 plant- ships and shelf space throughout the
ed hectares of SunGold in Italy and around year, as well as keeping our brand in front
340 planted SunGold hectares in France. of consumers year-round. If we only sold
Zespri owns the SunGold variety and we New Zealand-grown kiwifruit, there would
also procure green kiwifruit which meets be three or four months a year where we
our quality standards. We expect these wouldn’t be offering fruit to the market.
European plantings and volumes to grow We’re on track to grow global sales
strongly over the next five years. to $4.5 billion by 2025, which equates to
Twelve-month supply is a key strate- around 260 million trays of kiwifruit. Of
gy for Zespri to maintain trade relation- that, we expect up to 200 million trays will


OCTOBER 2019

We’re on track to grow global

sales to $4.5 billion by 2025,
which equates to around 260
million trays of kiwifruit. Of

that, we expect up to 200
million trays will be New
Zealand-grown fruit while

around 60 million will come
from Zespri Global Supply













be New Zealand-grown fruit while around
60 million will come from Zespri Glob-
al Supply, meaning more investment and
jobs and sharing of information to improve
production in the kiwifruit sector in places
like Italy and France.

What do you expect about the produc-
tion volume and quality of the new
campaign in Europe?
European volumes are forecast to con-
tinue to grow strongly to meet consumer
demand for year-round supply, with fore-
casts indicating volumes will grow from
around 7.8 million trays of Green and
just under 10 million trays of SunGold in
2018/19 to 13 million trays of Green and
24 million trays of SunGold by 2023/24. In
spite of some challenges with things like
Brown Marmorated Stinkbug and Psa,
there is confidence in the sector here and
we expect to see production increasing.
Zespri has a wide, if not a complete,
view of the global kiwi consumption
map. Where do you see opportunities
and for which reason?
We see huge potential to grow our con-



OCTOBER 2019

12 FRESHLETTER









sumer base. Kiwifruit makes up around presence and visibility in stores and lever-
just 1.5 percent of the world’s internation- aging our merchandising projects, espe-
ally traded fruit, and with consumers in- cially with key retailers, to promote Sun-
creasingly looking for products that taste Gold.
good, make them feel good, and that are We want to get closer to our consum-
good for them, we think there’s potential ers so we’ll also be implementing a digi-
to lift this market share. Looking ahead, tal campaign that combines influencer en-
we expect to see strong growth in our ma- gagement with a consumer digital contest,
jor markets like Europe, Japan and Great- and you can expect that we’ll be promot-
er China, and are excited about the poten- ing the many nutritional benefits of Zespri
tial of some of our emerging markets like Kiwifruit around major local health and fit-
North America and South East Asia. We ness events.
are working with our partners in Europe to We are also seeing strong investment
grow the category and the markets and to particularly in Italy, from our partners thee,
meet that demand. based on their relationship with Zespri and
the world thrive through the goodness of
kiwifruit. the growing demand for our fruit, with in-
Is there any progress concerning with Looking ahead, we’ll be continuing to in- vestment in orchards and post-harvest fa-
the introduction of the red kiwi in vest in strengthening our brand in Europe cilities to cope with the projected increase
Zespri’s portfolio? so that we can grow our position in our in SunGold kiwifruit out of Europe.
This year we’ve had a really positive re- key markets including Spain, Germany and
sponse from consumers from the limited the Benelux countries, who are our larg-
release of Zespri Red we undertook in New est markets, as well as in France and Italy. There were some talks
Zealand, and from our trials in Singapore. We are working with growers and suppli- between Zespri and Greek
Consumers have really responded to the ers in places like Italy and France to meet farmers in regard to the
fruit’s beautiful vibrant red color and very the growing demand for SunGold kiwifruit cultivation of your yellow
sweet flavor. A red kiwifruit does provide around the world, meaning more jobs, in- kiwi in Greece. Is there any
some challenges which we need to consid- vestment and the sharing of technical ease progress in this sector? Will
er before deciding whether we could com- in Europe. we see these kiwis to be
mercialise a red variety. These relate to the cultivated in Greece?
shorter storage life of the fruit and its ten- Finally, is there anything new to ex- Zespri’s strategy is to supply
dency to ripen faster than other varieties pect from Zespri during the next the world’s leading kiwifruit all
of kiwifruit. months in terms of any new market- year round. As part of that we
We are currently reviewing all of our da- ing campaign or any new important grow in Northern Hemisphere
ta and will be outlining our next steps in agreements or investments? countries like Italy and France
terms of whether we will commercialise a This season’s crop is one of the tastiest and as demand for our kiwifruit
red variety by the end of this year. grows we are always looking for
fruits we’ve had and we’re getting some new growing locations. There are
fantastic feedback from consumers.
Zespri is very interested in the wider During the winter season, we’ll be con- currently small trials underway
propagation of its yellow kiwi in Eu- tinuing to invest in building our Zespri brand in Greece and while
rope. Give us some information about through a range of marketing campaigns we expect these,
your plans for this product. in the South of Europe (e.g. Italy, Spain & along with the
SunGold has been an incredible success Benelux). In Benelux, this will include fur- commercial
with consumers across the world and is a ther promotion of our relationships
variety that we’re exceptionally proud of. award-winning we’re forming,
In 2019, for the first time, we’re expecting and very popu- to help grow our
to supply more New Zealand-grown Sun- lar Kiwi broth- future European
Gold than Green kiwifruit. ers campaign, fruit production, the
While SunGold has traditionally been while in Italy, trials remain in the
popular in Asia, European consumers have we’ll be con- very early stages so we
also shown an increasing appetite for the tinuing with have yet to determine
delicious taste of this variety which has at- a 360-plan the viability of SunGold
tracted a range of new consumers to the built on the under Greek growing
world of kiwifruit. Many consumers now Amiamo - conditions.
eat both gold and green varieties. ci campaign.
Our purpose remains to help people, This focuses
communities and the environment around
on boosting our


OCTOBER 2019



14 FRESHLETTER







ÒGrapes





DO WE FACE A CHANGE OR WE ARE STILL ON THE SAME TRACK?


For the last 10 years the profits from the cultivation of Thompson Seedless have been on a downturn,
especially in the Corinthian region, which was once the top productive region in our country. But
why did we reach the point of talking about abandoning the table grapes today? What’s wrong? Is this
situation reversible?


We have been talking about enriching Corinthian Producers are lacking of the fi-
our varietal map with new table grape va- nancial strength and the courage to try
rieties for many years. Indeed, our maga- something new. On the contrary, in Kavala
zine has, over the years, raised this issue we have no abandonment of property, but
high on its journalistic agenda, while the only restructuring, while in Creta there are
conclusions from the Table Grape Confer- restructuring, but at a slow pace.
ence, which we organized during FRESKON
2018, have shown exactly that need. The situation today
In the restructuring process, the trad-
Getting knowledge of the new ers’ role is crucial. That is, in order to pro-
varieties ceed with the planting of a new variety, the
When we say new varieties in our coun- necessary agreements must first be signed
try today, we are referring to the ARRA, between the holders of the varieties, the
Volcani and IFG varieties. All of these se- trader and the producer. This development
ries offer seedless varieties of grapes of in itself brings something new to the table
all colors - and of course they are vari- grape market.
eties with royalties. Mr. Theodorou Dimi- Note that about 250 Ha have already
tris ([email protected]) is been planted with the ARRA and IFG se-
in charge for the ARRA series, Mr. Spanos ries. Actually, this year the production vol-
Dimitris (dimitrios.spanos@grapeevolu- ume from the ARRA series will exceed
tion.com) for the Volcani varieties and Mr. 1.000 tonnes, with JUPITER being the sole
Kanakis Giannis is in charge for the grapes buyer of these grapes, while the IFG se-
of the IFG ([email protected]). ries will render significant grape produc-
We do not intend in this report to eval- tion next year.
uate these new varieties. The best judge, Regarding the Volcani series, the plant-
after all, is the Market itself, which in a few When we say new varieties ings in our country exceed the 30 Ha and
years will publish its verdict. What is of next year will have their first remarkable
value to us at this time is to look at the in our country today, we are production.
changes taking place in the table grape According to Mr. Kanakis, the planned
sector in our country - and above all, what referring to the ARRA, Volcani plantings of the IFG series for 2020 and
will be the “next day” in this sector. and IFG varieties. All of these 2021 will bring this series to our country
in an acreage of about 500 Ha, while the
Abandonment or restructuring? series offer late seedless expected production volume will be over
In the challenge of “tomorrow”, each ta- 20.000 tonnes. If we take into account that
ble grape productive area of our country - varieties of grapes of all the ARRA series in these years aim to ex-
Creta, Corinth and Kavala - responds in its pand to 300-400 Ha, then on 2025 the to-
own way. Specifically, in Corinth most of colors - and of course they tal volume of production from the new va-
the estates are abandoned because of fi- are varieties with royalties rieties will reach 40.000 tonnes.
nancial hardship but also because of the It should be noted here that the new va-
scarcity and the high cost of water, rath- rieties that are planted are all late, that
er than being restructured with the new is, they are harvested from mid-Septem-
varieties mentioned above. Generally, the ber onwards - and most of the planting is



OCTOBER 2019

Volcani table grape variety Grape of the ARRA series
done with the replacement of the exist-
ing Thompson Seedless. If things go with-
out troubles, then by 2025, the export map
of our varieties will change and half of the
grapes will be by the new varieties.

Concluding
The table grape sector of our coun-
try is experiencing painfully the Thomp-
son Seedless crisis and is trying to get
out of this situation by growing new va-
rieties. This is what Active Producers do,
while some others cannot follow this path
and abandon their estates, which are usu-
ally purchased by large Producers. All this
shows us that in a few years we will have
fewer Producers, but we will produce more
Grape Volume. Despite that, given that
we are not the only ones producing ta-
ble grapes in this world, what worries us
is that we do not see changes in the culti- Grape owned by IFG
vation methods - in particular, to become
more mechanized, as this is the only way often cause them a “headache” with their ing regimes, which can offer the super-
to deal with the “hot” issue of the working
hands scarcity. reduced endurance. It is not at all unlike- market chains a serious product portfolio
ly that, not in the near future, when the su- and at the same time, these commercial
Our view permarket chains see that they are meet- regimes to adopt a modern management
style. Only then will it be worth enriching
ing the demand with the new varieties
Expanding the cultivation of new va-
rieties is a good move, which is to cover - and even at the prices they desire - will our production with new varieties - not just
completely remove Thompson Seedless
grapes, but also peaches, tangerines and
the Thompson Seedless retreat. The su-
per market chains want the new variet- from their shelves. generally all of our fruit.
However, along with enriching our pro-
If these changes are not made, then it
ies, as they have high post-harvest dura-
bility and thus significantly reduced losses. duction with new varieties, the way we is certain that not even the “golden vari-
ety” will save the fresh fruit and vegeta-
move our products needs to change. Now-
On the contrary, the Thompson Seedless
adays they are required new large trad- ble sector.

16 FRESHLETTER









“ITUM PROGRAM TO CONTINUE

TO CREATE GRAPES SO PRODUCTIVE,


EARLY AND ADJUSTABLE”


Mr. Diego Bustos, Head of the Vineyard Division of the A.N.A.
CHILE, which has acquired the rights to distribute the ITUM table
grapes in the Southern Hemisphere, speaks to Froutonea about
the excellent outcomes shown by the Spanish varieties, both in the
cultivation and post-harvest phase.


post-harvesting behavior, while Itum12
stands out among the black varieties, as
ripening at medium period and it is very ef-
DIEGO BUSTOS ficient, crisp and easily managed.
Generally, in the Southern Hemisphere
HEAD OF THE VINEYARD DIVISION the ITUM varieties are grown in Chile, Peru,
OF THE A.N.A. CHILE Brazil, South Africa and Australia.

In general, how would you character-
ize their organoleptic characteristics?
Mr. Bustos, how long have you been All their features are of excellent quality.
working with the ITUM grape variet- It is important to remember that the ITUM
ies, which ones have you selected and program was created in collaboration with
in which countries in the Southern producers, so the criterion for approving a
Hemisphere have you licensed them? variety must be in line with the aspirations
We have been working in the fields of the partners, i.e. the producers.
on ITUM grapes for three seasons. The Crisp texture is a key selection criterion,
2016/2017 season was the first to devel- so any variety of this program is at least as
op these new varieties in the experimen- crisp as Crimson, if not more. The diameter
tal fields of the A.N.A. CHILE in Chile and of the grape easily exceeds 20mm, reach-
Peru, and from the 2017/2018 season, be- ing 22-23, while they are juicy and have a
gan production on large scale at the Evalu- very pleasant taste, balancing the acidity
ation Centers, with producers working with with the sweetness.
export companies licensed under the rele- In addition, the ITUM program includes
vant program. varieties of traditional flavors, such as
All these seasons have confirmed the the Muscat type, where the Itum15 vari-
productive power and easy cultivation ety, which is harvested at the beginning of
management of the ITUM varieties, which the season, at Flame dates, is attractive,
transcend traditional varieties. bright red and mildew resistant.
In Chile are developed the varieties
Itum5, Itum6, Itum7, Itum8, Itum9, Itum10
and Itum12. They are all in the commercial The grape Itum7
phase, with the Itum6 variety notable for
its high productivity, crunchy texture and
late harvest, almost a month after Thomp-
son, as well as its good size and post-har- The grapes of the ITUM program have excellent post-harvest
vest behavior. behavior, as they withstand up to 90 days of reservation in
The Itum7 also stands out for its bright
red color, crunchy texture and good fridges, they do not dissolve and maintain their crispness



OCTOBER 2019

Chilean growers are looking forward to plant ITUM, even

thinking of uprooting old vineyards and replacing them with

new varieties. Varieties such as Itum15, Itum7 and Itum6 have
attracted the interest of growers as substitutes for the Flame,
Crimson and Thompson varieties respectively





commercially were selected on the basis What acceptance has met the ITUM
of lower labor need and maximum yield. grapes in the market?
For example, ITUM grapes, despite their We will know this from the 2020/2021
high productivity, do not throw away ex- season, when grapes from the first vine-
cess vines, so they do not need to spend yards will be reach the Market. So far, our
as much labor on their thinning/ pruning experience has been limited to the cultiva-
as on other varieties. They also get color tion stage, where, as we have said, we see
easily, which reduces the cost of applying excellent prospects.
relative care. In conclusion, we are talking However, we have welcomed Chinese
about varieties selected by and for produc- and Korean importers, who have shown
ers who are looking to reduce costs and in- particular interest in the new varieties, fo-
crease production. cusing on the crisp texture, size and pleas-
ant taste.
How would you evaluate their
post-harvest behavior and their ad- What is the future prospect of plant-
aptation to different supply chain con- ing ITUM varieties?
cerns? Chilean growers are looking forward to
The grapes of the ITUM program have plant ITUM, even thinking of uprooting old
excellent post-harvest behavior, as they vineyards and replacing them with new va-
withstand up to 90 days of reservation in rieties. Varieties such as Itum15, Itum7 and
fridges, they do not dissolve and main- Itum6 have attracted the interest of grow-
tain their crispness. In the A.N.A. CHILE we ers as substitutes for the Flame, Crimson
have carried out exhaustive tests, evalu- and Thompson varieties respectively.
ating bunches collected from different or-
igins and at different ripening stages, with Given your experience working with
brix levels of 18 and 21, and their durability the ITUM varieties so far, if you had
on long journeys was consistently stand- an ITUM Researcher in front of you,
ing out in all tests. what better or more would you ask
We compared these outcomes with him about the grapes?
those of the Crimson and Thompson Seed- Conserve the «provincial» genes of these
less varieties and in all cases their behav- varieties. The ITUM program is character-
ior was the same or better than these two ized by the selection of grapes under Mur-
traditional varieties. cia’s climatic conditions, which determines
How easy is it and how much does it Also, it is important to note that in order
cost to grow ITUM varieties compared to import into the US, Chile must disinfect the expression of the phenotype and al-
to other varieties? its grapes using bromomethane. The tests lows the evaluator to work with plants of a
wide range and adaptability. So I would say
Since these varieties were selected by we have done show that ITUM varieties re-
the producers, their cultivation is very easy spond better to this method than others, to the Researchers to keep this character-
istic that makes grapes so productive, ear-
to manage. The grapes selected to grow such as the Crimson Seedless. ly and adaptable.



OCTOBER 2019

18 FRESHLETTER








ÒApples





FEW AND WITH QUALITY PROBLEMS




The apples harvest is in full swing and as the first samples showed, this year’s production volume will
finally be reduced compared to last year, while the quality of the fruit has left the traders unsatisfied.
















































We are in the 37th week and there is a strong mobility at the ap- Agia: Harvesting in red apple varieties is coming to an end, with
ple producing sites as the harvest is in full swing and the latest Producer prices forming around the 35 cents. This price is satisfac-
trade agreements are being completed. tory, as the quality of the fruit in Agia was not good this year. Spe-
However, the picture we now have about the main production cifically, the fruits were not of good color, shape, and size, while at
centers is as follows: the same time a significant amount of apples were completely un-
suitable for marketing. So the apples that went into the refrigera-
Pirgi, Kozani: Producer prices range from 40-50 cents - with tors or even the ones that have been absorbed so far are much less
most estates closing around 45 minutes. The quality of the fruit in than last year. Indeed, traders in this region estimate that the de-
this area is very lower than the quality of the previous years, as well cline is approaching 40% this year.
informed commercial circles report. In terms of volume of produc-
tion, there is a decrease of about 20-30% compared to last year. Kastoria: Apple production in Kastoria is better this year com-



OCTOBER 2019

What is worrying this year, is not so much
the decline in production, but the low quality

of the fruit. Because of the bad weather
we had at the flowering stage, the apples this

year do not have good color, shape and size





pared to other production areas, while there is no damage from
hail. As a result, many traffickers prefer to buy apples from this
area - and so the Producer price was set at 40-45 minutes, close
to the prices of Pirgi, which are always the highest in our country.

Arnissa-Zervi-Panagitsa: This area has been hit by hail this
year and the damage is great on many estates. This has result-
ed in traffickers being reluctant to enter into agreements with lo-
cal producers. In contrast, the Egyptian traffickers found suitable
ground for action, as prices in the apples in the region formed at
22-25 cents and with these prices load directly from the field for
export.

Zagora: There are many problems with hail in the Zagora area
this year. Alongside these problems, we must add that there is a
significant decrease in production volume, which is close to 30%
compared to last year. According to the cooperative executives of
the region, it seems that at this time good and quality apples will
be very few this year in the Zagora region.

The sales development
The domestic Apple Market is very sluggish at this time, and as
we’ve mentioned in previous reports on apples, some traders still
have unsold apples from last season. As this year has evolved,
last year’s apples will be absorbed relatively easily in the coming
weeks. But what concerns the apples sector right now is Egypt’s
“behavior” as it absorbs the largest quantities, as recorded in the
export table.
So far, as valid trading circles report, shipments to Egypt have
gained pace, and despite they are lower than last year, they are
stable and do not have sharp ups and downs. Note that last year,
the Egyptian Market was “empty”, and this year it has stocks -
and so everything is getting smoother. Of course, departure pric-
es are lower than last year, but what matters now is that if this
absorption rate continues, then the low-quality apples, which are
many this year, will have been absorbed by the Christmas holi-
days- and so, in the coming months the pace will be smoother.

T.O.

20 FRESHLETTER







VOG





COMPLETE CHANGE OF ITS VARIETAL MAP UNTIL 2025






Over 1,800 hectares of investments in new varieties are planned in the course of the next five years. The Golden
Delicious, Red Delicious and Braeburn areas will be reduced. Over 300 new hectares already in the transition
phase will be dedicated to organic farming.



Over 10,000 hectares of apple trees are
cultivated by the almost 5,000 produc-
ers associated with the VOG Consortium.
These farms, which are mostly family-run,
have an average of a few hectares and their
profitability is determined by their choice of
variety.
Until a few years ago, Golden Delicious
still accounted for over 25% of the harvest.
Now, for the first time, forecasts for autumn
2019 predict that Royal Gala will reach the
top spot in the ranking, bringing Golden De-
licious down to second place. The season
that has just ended showed that the abun-
dant supply of Italian Golden Delicious
struggles in traditional markets such as It-
aly and Spain, which are already saturat-
ed. And new end markets, such as India and
South East Asia, prefer – both due to tra-
dition and in terms of flavour – other vari-
eties.
Hence the need to courageously contin-
ue with the variety innovation projects that
began in the late ’90s with the introduction
of Royal Gala and then Fuji, followed in the
early years of the new millennium with ma-
jor investment in the first “club apple”, Pink
Lady®. Other varieties have followed in re-
cent years such as Kanzi®, Jazz™ and en-
vy™, all characterized by excellent sensory
features, crispiness and juiciness: the char-
acteristics required by today’s modern con-
sumer.
More club varieties and more
new varieties
For the next five years, the VOG Consor-
tium’s “Varietal Innovation 2025” strategic
project offers associated farmers the op-
portunity to take part in new variety proj-



OCTOBER 2019

ects covering a total of 1,800 hectares,
partly divided into already established
projects and partly into completely new
projects.
With regard to the consolidated projects,
investment is planned in Club apples that More than 1,800 hectares
are already considered successful, such as
a further 120 hectares of Pink Lady®, 140 will be cultivated with new
additional hectares of envy™, 80 hect-
ares of Shinano Gold/yello®, 150 hectares varieties, while 300 hectares
of Crimson Snow®, 120 hectares of Joya® will be added to organic
and finally 30 hectares of Sweetango®. All
these varieties will cover different months farms, increasing their total
in the seasonal marketing plan. For exam-
ple, the Minneiska variety, marketed under acreage to 1,0000
the name Sweetango® and originally from
Minnesota (USA), is an early variety har-
vested from early August, which will ac-
company the first Royal Gala harvested in
August and September. By contrast, Joya®
and Crimson Snow®, red and two-tone ap-
ples, are planned for the second half of the
season to accompany Golden Delicious in the two new varieties guarantee.
the months from April to July: a viable al- The European and overseas markets re-
ternative to imported apples. quire diversification, as well as new and
Additionally, VOG offers members the better sensory characteristics, which the
launch of certain new varieties for which VOG project’s new cultivars can guarantee.
it exclusively holds the rights in Europe, Hence the Consortium’s conviction to
managed together with the VI.P. Consor- face the future with an ambitious vari-
tium. etal innovation project that will profound-
These are three new managed varieties, ly change its portfolio over the next five
apples with variety protection that will be years. Almost 2,000 hectares of trees have
marketed with a specific brand. The first been newly planted, resulting in the re-
of these is Cosmic Crisp, the apple that moval of trees that are too old or obso-
is revolutionizing the United States mar- lete clones. Golden, which has dominat-
ket, where Red Delicious consumption has ed our harvests for decades, will decrease
plummeted, a cross between Enterprise from a 25% share of the dedicated area to
and Honeycrisp, the most popular and a 15% share, and the number of Red Deli-
sought-after variety in the USA. cious and Braeburn trees will also be re-
The other two varieties, which are still in duced. By contrast, Royal Gala’s share of
the design phase, are referred to as SK 22 almost 25% of the harvest should be con-
and SK 23: both are resistant to scab and firmed at the current level.
have shelf life and robustness properties The European apple market is experi-
that will allow them to hold up in the sec- encing a structural overproduction crisis
ond half of the sales season and to reach due to huge investment in thousands of
distant overseas destinations. hectares in Eastern Europe that have not
yet entered full production. These apples
Steady gaze at the remote have already arrived on the European and
markets Mediterranean markets and will lead to
This last characteristic is becoming in- fierce competition in regard to the prices of
creasingly strategic for the Consortium. In classic varieties in the future. Consequent-
order to reach new overseas markets, in- ly, VOG has presented its producers with a
volving 4-week container journeys and on- strategic variety plan that will enable their
site distribution without a guaranteed cold apples to stand out on the market, ensur-
chain, impeccable product quality is key to ing that their output remains sustainable
success and it is this characteristic that and guaranteeing their future.



OCTOBER 2019

22 FRESHLETTER









“QUANTITY LOSSES, BUT QUALITY

EXCELLENCE FOR THE NEW POMEGRANATES”



Froutonea discusses the details of the new season of the Italian
pomegranates with Mr. Dario De Lisi, Masseria Fruttirossi SRL
Sales and Marketing Manager.












DARIO DE LISI

MASSERIA FRUTTIROSSI SRL
SALES AND MARKETING OFFICER,
ITALY





For the beginning, how would you as-
sess the past pomegranate season?
Are you satisfied?
The past year was not a good season
for Italian pomegranates in our area due
to wet and rainy days that affected the
quantity and partly quality of the fruits.

When does the new Italian pome-
granate season begin, when is the
peak period and with which variet-
ies?
We started the new season whit the
harvest of EMEK and SHANY varieties we had got extreme climate conditions in
(early varieties for the first time available July that made us lose some quantity but
in the domestic market), after some days quality will be good with some excellence
of delay due to climatic conditions that quality in the late varieties.
slowed us down. Following these and
representing the peak period, we harvest In general, what is the development The peak of production
AKO and WONDERFUL pomegranates va- of the pomegranate plantations in
rieties until the end of November. Italy? Do they gain or lose ground comes with the start of the
and what’s the plantations’ growth of Ako and Wonderful varieties
What are your expectations about the your company?
quantity and the quality of the new Plantations are growing especially in harvest, which last until the
production? Did any problems occur the South of Italy owing to favorable cli-
during the cultivation? mate conditions and water availability. end of November.
Unfortunately neither this year was We are the leading private company in
clement in Italy. In Marina di Castellaneta production of pomegranates in Italy and



OCTOBER 2019

one of the largest in Europe with more
than 330 hectares and other 50 hectares
destinated to other Super Fruit like Goji
berries, Aronia berries and with new plan-
tation of Avocado. Our strong point is the
very short supply chain considering that
our packing house is in the middle of the
orchards where pomegranates are har-
vested and immediately processed, as-
suring the best quality and freshness of
each product.

Your company produces also pome-
granate juice. What percentage of
your production volume goes for the
juice industry? Do we speak about
just a supplementary business for
pomegranate consume and if yes,
do you consider that there are pos-
sibilities for the pomegranate juice
to obtain a higher ranking in the fruit
juices in the near future?
We assure to our customers only the
top fresh fruit quality. The other produc-
tion section is destinated to the juice in-
dustry that it isn’t a secondary business
absolutely. We invested a lot of resources
for fruit juice especially for the HPP (High
Pressure Processing) that preserves all
the pomegranate’s organolectic proper-
ties.
From next year we will extend the Juic-
es range with some blends like Clemen-
tine of Ionic lands, Strawberries, Goji,
Lemon, Orange and Ginger matching the
needs of the market requesting a wider
product range for the final clients.

Finally, the pomegranate is a fruit
that it is quite difficult for the con-
sumer to cut it in order to eat it, and
for this reason some people avoid to
buy them when they do their grocery
shopping. Given that fact, is your
company concerned with any pro-
motional campaigns, or launching
convenient products like fresh-cut
pomegranate seeds punnet?
We know of course this difficulty for our
customer and for this reason we have al-
located one sector of our processing lines
to the “Ready to Eat” product thanks to
our shelling machine able to keep sepa-
rated pomegranate’s arils from the skin.
The final result is a healthy and fresh
snack to carry on always in your bag.

24 FRESHLETTER








ARRIGONI

APPLE AND PEAR: SAFE PRODUCTION THANKS TO ARRIGONI SCREENS




International leader in the agrotextile sector, the company offers various solutions for the cultivation of
apples and pears, two of the most produced and consumed fruits on a global level.





Arrigoni studies specific solutions for
every type of situation, according to the
needs and the production area. More-
over, to choose the ideal protection, noth-
ing should be left to chance: even the color
of the cover itself can be a decisive vari-
able. Depending on the variety and the geo-
graphical area of cultivation, it is necessary
to use the right percentage of shading. In
regions where there is not enough sun, for
crops that require high irradiation, trans-
parent nets are recommended; on the con-
trary, in sunny places and on less vigorous
orchards, the dark-colored net is indicated
to guarantee a better shading factor and
reduce the damage caused by burns. More-
over, such nets also have a longer life.
“When it comes to the most extensive
and cultivated crops in the world – explains In fact, FRUCTUS® modifies the internal mi-
Paolo Arrigoni, CEO of Arrigoni – as of ap- croclimate, reducing the average daily tem-
ples and pears, it is necessary to keep in perature and increasing the relative humid-
mind a multiplicity of factors. On the one ity. Finally, protection is effective against
hand, in fact, the research must be orient- Φέτος για πρώτη φορά birds and some insects, thus considerably
ed towards solutions that are appropri- reducing diseases, as the orchard is pro-
ate to the specific need; on the other hand, προχωρήσαμε σε φυτεύσεις tected by the vectors of their spread. Also
we need to think more and more about en- suitable for the drafting of long rows thanks
vironmental sustainability. With the “to- λάχανου, μαρουλιού to the strong lateral and central selvedg-
tal green” proposals he Arrigoni Group it- es, this range of agrotessiles thus gener-
self, has been pursuing for several years και φασολιού, ενώ καλλιεργή- ates particularly favorable conditions for
now, is a credible and reliable partner for σαμε και τομάτες, the growth and fruiting of the pomaceous
the fruit-growing of the future, increasing- plants.
ly attentive not only to the quality of pro- η συγκομιδή των οποίων
duction, but also to the preservation of the AGRITELA LUX®
natural environment that surrounds each ξεκίνησε μετά The AGRITELA LUX® is a white mulching
orchard”. fabric, ideal for implementing and improving
τον 15αυγουστο fruit ripening, promoting coloration. In fact,
FRUCTUS® it provides the best results with clones and
The Arrigoni FRUCTUS® range is a special varieties that difficulty develop the right
line of high tenacity polyethylene monofil- color, particularly in the production of ap-
ament woven nets, stabilized against UV ples in flat fields, under anti-hail nets, or in
rays. In addition to direct mechanical pro- areas with poor temperature variations be-
tection against possible hail damage, this tween day and night.
range also offers several other advantages. Thanks to special additives, AGRITELA




OCTOBER 2019

LUX® reflects over 70% of the photosyn-
thetically active sunlight that reaches the
ground and provides more light in the low- Who is Who
er and inner parts of the foliage. This means
better coloring for apple varieties like Gal-
axy, Kanzi, Pink Lady, Gala Schniga and an The ARRIGONI Group
average of 25% more marketable fruit. The has been in technical
fabric is UV stabilized, easy to install and textiles since 1936. It
can be used season after season. Strong began manufacturing
side reinforcements and high-quality mate- polyethylene net
rials allow the installation of the fabric with fabrics in 1959. It has
hooks and clips for a perfect laying on the more than 50 years’ experience in the protective screen sector. The group’s
ground. It also remains slightly suspended headquarters is at Uggiate Trevano (Como), just outside Milan and close to
to improve the growth of the grass and al- Linate and Malpensa airports. The group’s three production units occupy a
lows the passage of the machines. total area of 110,000 m2, with buildings of 39,000 m2. It has a workforce
of 160 and production capacity of more than 6000 tons of net fabrics per
IRIDE MULTI PRO® and FRUCTUS 4/4® year. Arrigoni develops, produces and distributes innovative agrotextiles for
The IRIDE MULTI PRO® and FRUCTUS more effective climate control and the production of healthier, safer food,
4/4® they are suggested to close the sides and other outdoor textiles for technical and/or environmental uses. It is now
of the orchards or to cover the single row. European leader in technical textile applications for agriculture.
Specifically, the first solution is suitable to
protect from Halyomorpha Halys (Asian
bug), while the second has been designed to
protect the fruit against the attacks of the
harmful moth Cydia pomonella.






ILIP
LAUNCHES SMART AVOCADO PACKAGING




Called Smart Ripe, the new packaging informs about the ripeness level of the fruit and provides advice
on how to use the product.



New packaging, called Smart Ripe, which fruit, but also on how to use it – for exam-
provides real-time information about the ple, in cooking, salads, sauces and so on.
ripeness of avocados and other fruits con- The technology is currently designed for
tained inside has been launched by ILIP in premium fruit and vegetable products such
collaboration with Radio6ense, a spin-off of as tropicals (avocado, mango and papaya),
the University of Rome Tor Vergata, and the but the principle can apparently be applied
University of Turin’s Department of Agricul- to different types of fruit or vegetable.
tural, Forest and Food Sciences. “Smart Ripe is the first technology that
The new packaging ensures consumers can monitor – in real-time and in a non-in-
get exactly the product quality and shelf- vasive way – the freshness and ripeness
life they want, using a highly sensitive ra- of a fresh product,” commented Luigi Gar-
dio-frequency identification (RFID) tag with- avaglia, R&D manager at ILIP, adding that
in the packaging. This can detect certain “With this innovation, we are paving the
dielectric variations in the fruit pulp associ- nal that can indicate if the fruit is ripe, as way to numerous applications that will im-
ated with ripeness, such as turgidity, acidity well as offering advice on how or when to prove handling of fruit and vegetables at
and water and sugar content. The gathered use it. Furthermore, the system shares use- the point of sale and the consumer pur-
information is then transmitted to a termi- ful information not just on when to eat the chase experience.”


OCTOBER 2019

26 FRESHLETTER









“CONSUMPTION OF AVOCADO

IN GREECE IS INCREASING»



Mr. George Antonakis, General Manager of Synergatiki S.A. talks
about the characteristics of the avocado cultivation in Creta and
the upward course of the fruit consumption in the Greek Market.












GIORGOS ANTONAKIS

GENERAL MANAGER,
SYNERGATIKI S.A.



Mr Antonakis, give us a comment on
the last season of avocado. Have you
been satisfied with the course of the
product?
The product appears to have a steadily in-
creasing consumption in the Greek Market,
leaving everyone satisfied in the avocado vate, what we have achieved in Chania is thus tarnish the reputation of the Cretan
production chain, from Producer to Entre- to obtain a very good quality, improving the avocado.
preneur of standardization and distribution. cultivation methods.
The World Avocado Organization
The new avocado harvest is about to How much is the organic sector of av- (WAO) is organizing country-wide
begin. What to expect from a quanti- ocados growing compared to that of consumption campaigns. In Greece, if
tative and qualitative perspective? conventional cultivation? we’re not mistaken, in Greece there is
In terms of quantity, we expect low- Avocado is one of the safest agricultur- no WAO member. Given this example,
er volume than last year, certainly in the al products, as there are no enemies of how do you judge the general man-
Fuerte variety, which, while was preparing fruit and tree at present, so it is a crop with agement and promotion of the Greek
us at the beginning of flowering for a per- minimal chemical interference. In addition, product?
fect year, the unfavorable climatic condi- the climate and soil of Creta are ideal for There is currently no body representing
tions that followed, did not allow the fruit the organic cultivation of the crop, which producers and packers in Greece. Howev-
to grow as it could. In the opposite direc- seems to have an upward trend. er, the consumption of avocados is on the
tion we can see the Hass variety, where rise due to the great influence of social me-
the year looks very good in terms of quan- Judging by the messages you receive dia, in line with the recent years trend for
tities, both from the new plantations and from the market, with what omens healthy eating and living. Avocados are a
from the old ones. does the new trading season begin? nutritional treasure and have many uses.
Is there any element that raises con-
In general, at which depth has avoca- cerns or any particular optimism? Is there a particular goal for your
do entered the activities and the cul- An important problem observed in re- Business this year?
ture of the producers? cent years is the hasty release of the prod- The aim is to maintain high quality stan-
Many people are now specialized in av- uct to the Greek Market, as a result of dards, extend the Cretan avocado market-
ocado and although it is a product that re- which it does not meet its qualitative crite- ing period and of course there is always
quires know-how and is difficult to culti- ria properly, does not mature properly and the goal of the exports.



OCTOBER 2019