Growers of P.D.O Spanish Persimon® say they have seen an increase in fruit quality over last season, during which a record 5,000 tonnes were sold in the UK.
Since 2005, the Spanish fruit has been sold in the UK, that now reaches around 30 million units per season. The P.D.O. Persimon regularly outsells other exotic fruits such as mangoes and kiwifruit.
“The fruit quality will be excellent this year and with larger sizes than we would normally expect to see from P.D.O Spanish Persimon,” Rafael Perucho, head of the regulatory council, Kaki de la Ribera del Xúquer, which controls the P.D.O certification for the fruit, said. “We are looking forward to a good season with potentially lower volumes due to a rather rainy spring earlier in the year.
“Since our campaign started almost 20 years ago, we have gone from being a practically unknown and minority product to being present in practically all distribution channels in the UK.”
Persimon is controlled by the Kaki de la Ribera del Xúquer regulatory council, which governs its P.D.O. status. This ensures it is the rojo brillante variety and has been grown in the Ribera del Xúquer valley region near Valencia, where it was first discovered. The fruit comes from growers that have passed a series of checks on aspects including traceability and quality of the Persimon® they supply.
Persimon is the trademarked name for the P.D.O.-certified Spanish fruit – spelt with a single ‘m’, which distinguishes it from other persimmon fruit.
They have a sweet, delicate flavour similar to a peach or a mango and are only available for a short period of time; from mid-October until January. Promotional activities planned for this season include advertising to shoppers through retailers, online advertising with BBC Good Food, print advertising, social media, press gift boxes, and activity with journalists and food writers.
The campaign is also releasing a selection of new seasonal recipes.
