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Photo: CD bank
Persimmons
Photo: CD bank

Israeli persimmons a big hit abroad

Zionist fruit success: Israel second largest exporter of persimmons. Israeli farmers manage to prolong fruit's shelf life

The persimmon season has begun, and the orange fruit can already be found in stores, although this year there is no need to hurry. Starting this year, persimmons won't only be available in the winter time but can be enjoyed all year long.

 

This news came from the leading persimmon grower Mor Perot Hasharon company, which owns the brand "Afarsemore" and claims that it has managed to prolong the fruit's shelf life and can now market it abroad in winter time, and all year long in Israel as well.

 

In recent years, Israel has conquered second place in persimmon export, coming in after Spain. The Plants Production and Marketing Board reports that the fruit reaches most continents; mainly Europe (east and west), followed by South Africa and Australia.

 

Even more eastern countries like China, Singapore, Japan and Thailand enjoy the Israeli persimmon.

 

Some more interesting facts about this fruit as reported by the Board are: The persimmon groves total area in Israel is about 17,500 dunams (about 4,000 acres). The fruits annual crop is about 35,000 tons, and the fruits annual export comes to about 16,000 tons.

 

The fruits bright orange trees are found mainly along the coastline.

 

Chairman of the persimmon growers on the Plant Board Yair Kaplan says the fruits success abroad is due to its sweet taste.

 

"We grow the Triumph variety, in which we have managed to reach a 25 percent sugar content, whereas competing persimmons only have a 15 percent sugar content."

 

Another explanation to the fruits great success abroad is the farmers advanced storage methods. Kaplan explained that the fruit can only be picked in October and November, but the storage methods allow the farmer to export it until the end of February, when the competitors are already long gone.

 

Mor Perot Hasharon CEO Mair Ben-Arzi shared the fruits nutritional values: "The fruit has a high concentration of nutritional fibers and tannins….. it has been found that eating one persimmon a day is enough to help fight arteriosclerosis."

 


פרסום ראשון: 11.29.06, 17:39
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