The SweetCott mandarin variety has gained protected status in Europe until 2056, as Morocco’s Les Domaines broadens its premium late-season easy-peeler range
The SweetCott premium mandarin from Moroccan producer Les Domaines has been granted its official protection title for a period running until 31 December 2056, according to Nadorcott Protection (NCP).
The variety complements the Nadorcott in the mandarin range, maturing even later and extending the season. The variety is large and has an exceptional taste, NCP said.
“More than three decades after the launch of the emblematic Nadorcott variety, which profoundly shaped the global mandarin landscape, Morocco is consolidating with this new variety its major advance in citrus breeding, and more specifically in the late easy-peeler segment,” it stated.
The granting of the definitive Community Plant Variety Right by the Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO) marks a major step for Moroccan citrus research and innovation, it went on.
“This decision follows rigorous Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability (DUS) examinations conducted over several complete production cycles by the UETIV (Technical Examination Unit for Variety Identification), attached to the IVIA (Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias) in Valencia, Spain, an international reference centre,” NCP said. “The UETIV’s conclusions confirm the stable expression of the Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability characteristics of this new variety.”
The group revealed that SweetCott was designed to meet the new requirements of international markets and today’s climate challenges, bringing “targeted added value to the entire value chain”.
This includes its agronomic performance, thanks to the variety’s “outstanding taste qualities, balanced sugar/acidity ratio, excellent holding ability on the tree”, as well as the fact that it is virtually seedless even under manual self-pollination and cross-pollination.
NCP sees great commercial potential for the variety due its “presentation quality and shipping ability suited to the requirements of international retail”, including its long shelf-life and capacity for long-distance transport and extended coldstorage.
“The definitive protection certificate granted by the CPVO to NCP, combined with the protection titles previously issued by the competent bodies of almost all producing countries and commercial markets, guarantees a solid legal framework for rolling out the international development and licensing strategy,” NCP stated. “This major advance reaffirms Morocco’s expertise in the citrus sector and paves the way for an ambitious commercial roll-out, promising lasting success on world markets over the coming decades.”
With a Brix level of up to 16 degrees and a high juice content of up to 60 per cent, the variety is apparently notable for its sweetness and juiciness. “With its exceptional flavour, the SweetCott by Les Domaines will offer consumers a new taste experience in the world of citrus,” NCP promised. “This distinctive profile is a major asset for retailers, which will be able to develop the premium segment with a differentiated, value-creating offer.”
