Sharon Fruit Agrexco

Sharon Fruit, the seedless persimmon variety from Israeli fresh produce giant Agrexco, will hit supermarket chains in Europe this month with the first shipment leaving Israel on 8 October.

'The export season will continue until April 2009, and we hope to addnew customers who will cherish Sharon Fruit's unique flavour,' saidYuval Naamani, product manager at Agrexco.

Sharon Fruit has a shiny orange colour, smooth firm skin and flesh, and is sweet in taste with 'exceptionally high levels of sugar' above 20 per cent brix, according to Agrexco.

The fruit is grown along the country's coastline from western Galilee through Zichron Yaakov, Binyamina, Givat Ada, the Sharon area, Shfelat Yehuda up to Ashkelon and its outskirts.

Mr Naamani added that overall volumes of exported Sharon Fruit are expected to increase by 75 per cent to hit 7,000 tonnes this season.