The Clown of Pevensey Bay
Well-known member
EASY-PEEL SUPER SATSUMAS RIPE FOR SALE
By Alison Kershaw, PA
Supermarket chain Tesco is hoping to score a hit with an unusual fruit which
is a "super-sized" version of a traditional favourite.
From tomorrow, shoppers will be able to pick up a Giant Satsuma - a new
"citrus hybrid" that combines the easy peel-ability of a satsuma with the size
and juiciness of an orange.
Up until now the fruit has only been sold in Japan due to a decline in the
demand for satsumas.
But from tomorrow, it will be available on Tesco supermarket shelves across
the UK.
Tesco citrus fruit buyer Martin DeLaFuente said: "When people first see them
no one believes they are satsumas and immediately mistake them for oranges
because they are so big.
"But the fun really starts when people see how extremely easy they are to
peel, yet also have the juiciness of an orange.
"Although they're officially called Giant Satsumas they're also sometimes
referred to in Japan as easy-peel oranges.
"We've decided to call them Giant Satsumas because the fruit is in danger of
becoming obsolete as world demand is seriously dropping."
In the last 10 years, satsuma production has dropped dramatically - there are
now less than a third of the orchards there were in 1994.
It is believed the drop has occurred because many farmers are now planting the
sharper tasting clementine, preferred by many other countries.
Giant Satsumas are grown in Japan and South Africa, and were first grown by a
Japanese farmer in 1979, who crossed a satsuma with another orange variety
called Trovita.
Mr DeLaFuente said: "We think they'll be very popular as there is a growing
demand for giant versions of traditional fruit in Britain.
"They are also the only satsumas available right now in the UK as the
traditional season for the regular-sized version doesn't start until autumn."
Tesco will be selling Giant Satsumas for #1.99 a kilo.
In the past, the supermarket has sold giant strawberries, avocados, mangoes
and pineapples.
end
211109 AUG 06
By Alison Kershaw, PA
Supermarket chain Tesco is hoping to score a hit with an unusual fruit which
is a "super-sized" version of a traditional favourite.
From tomorrow, shoppers will be able to pick up a Giant Satsuma - a new
"citrus hybrid" that combines the easy peel-ability of a satsuma with the size
and juiciness of an orange.
Up until now the fruit has only been sold in Japan due to a decline in the
demand for satsumas.
But from tomorrow, it will be available on Tesco supermarket shelves across
the UK.
Tesco citrus fruit buyer Martin DeLaFuente said: "When people first see them
no one believes they are satsumas and immediately mistake them for oranges
because they are so big.
"But the fun really starts when people see how extremely easy they are to
peel, yet also have the juiciness of an orange.
"Although they're officially called Giant Satsumas they're also sometimes
referred to in Japan as easy-peel oranges.
"We've decided to call them Giant Satsumas because the fruit is in danger of
becoming obsolete as world demand is seriously dropping."
In the last 10 years, satsuma production has dropped dramatically - there are
now less than a third of the orchards there were in 1994.
It is believed the drop has occurred because many farmers are now planting the
sharper tasting clementine, preferred by many other countries.
Giant Satsumas are grown in Japan and South Africa, and were first grown by a
Japanese farmer in 1979, who crossed a satsuma with another orange variety
called Trovita.
Mr DeLaFuente said: "We think they'll be very popular as there is a growing
demand for giant versions of traditional fruit in Britain.
"They are also the only satsumas available right now in the UK as the
traditional season for the regular-sized version doesn't start until autumn."
Tesco will be selling Giant Satsumas for #1.99 a kilo.
In the past, the supermarket has sold giant strawberries, avocados, mangoes
and pineapples.
end
211109 AUG 06
