Belabela 1

The Belabela satsuma extends the Spanish satsuma 

Late season satsuma Belabela is due to arrive on shelves at M&S and Tesco in the coming weeks.

Supplied by Munoz Group through varietal specialist Citrus Genesis, Belabela is a later variant of the Owari variety, with a deeper colour and thicker skin.

The variety extends the Spanish satsuma season by a number of weeks, Munoz Group said, while high expectations have led growers across the southern hemisphere to invest in plantings.

Volumes from South Africa and Peru are expected to reach 150,000 kg in July 2017, the company said.

Meanwhile, global volumes will reach around a total of 5 million kg in the northern hemisphere and 2 million kg in the southern hemisphere as orchards begin to mature, closing the historic gap in the satsuma supply calendar in both January-February and July-August.