Israel’s Orri Jaffa mandarin brand is fast developing a fan base in Asia, with consumers in China and Japan willing to pay a premium for its unique taste, Tal Amit, head of the citrus division at Israel’s Plant Production and Marketing Board (PPMB), told Fruitnet.
In a recent survey, 80 per cent of consumers approached in China and Japan said they preferred Orri Jaffa to other easy peeler mandarins on the market, he said.
This is despite the fact that the Israeli variety is several times more expensive than Chinese mandarins, and nearly twice as much as imported Australian Murcotts.
Orri Jaffa exports to China launched in 2015, then a year later to Japan; yet already they account for the lion’s share of Israel’s total citrus shipments to these markets: 7,000 tonnes respectively in 2017, Amit said.
The variety, a mandarin hybrid 20-years in the making, enjoys an exceptionally long season, harvesting of which typically starts in late December and runs until late-April/May.
The fruit, which has very few seeds, also boasts a great taste and good shelf-life, said Amit.
As well as in Israel, the branded-variety is also grown by licensed producers in Spain (2,000ha), South Africa (1,000ha), Peru (500ha), Argentina (500ha), Uruguay (300ha), Chile (100ha) and the US.
France, the Netherlands and Germany are the top Israeli Orri Jaffa markets in Europe.
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