Italy: First Sicilian blood oranges on the shelf

Published Dec 21, 2022

Tridge summary

The article marks the start of the PGI Blood Orange season from Sicily, which is expected to be available in Italian markets by Christmas. Gerardo Diana, the president of the Consortium for the Protection of the Blood Orange of Sicily, hiked to the summit of Mount Etna to pay tribute to the volcano's role in the fruit's ripening and to express gratitude for its influence. The blood orange, one of the top five preferred fruit and vegetable products in Italy, is marketed in several varieties throughout the year. The consortium includes over 400 growers, 62 packers, and three intermediaries, with a marketing value of €40 million in the 2021/22 season despite the product being available for only four months a year. The consortium emphasizes the importance of sustainable cultivation, covering 6,000 registered hectares.

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Original content

The season of the PGI Blood Orange from Sicily started on Monday 19 December. This Sicilian citrus is known worldwide for its quality and healthy properties, thanks to the special climate conditions in the growing area around Mount Etna. By Christmas, the fruit will be back on the Italian tables. Gerardo Diana, President of the Consortium for the Protection of the Blood Orange of Sicily. In the background Mount Etna, which, with its climatic influences, promotes the ripening of this citrus. To celebrate the start of the season, Gerardo Diana, president of the Consortium for the Protection of the Blood Orange, climbed the top of Mount Etna. Diana set off on foot from the Sapienza mountain refuge (1,910 meters above sea level), carrying some Moro oranges blessed with lava-red pulp in her backpack, to reach the summit after 900 meters of altitude. “We very often mention Etna as an indispensable element for the ripening of our Protected Geographical Indication blood orange,” says ...

Source: AGF