The distribution of the LINBO® branded mandarin has begun and it will be a qualitatively exceptional campaign: the medium-late Linbo® branded mandarin has started the 2024 season and the expectations are the best, as explained by Francesco Paolo Gallo, president of the Consortium who expresses the premium brand. “At a qualitative and quantitative level the prospects are excellent and we will reach the consumer with our 3 lines: conventional, zero residue and organic.
The latter two together are worth 40% but the objective year after year will be to significantly increase the share linked to the zero residue. To reach the targets we have worked and are working hard in our citrus groves with our technicians”.
The consortium, which is based in Massafra (Taranto), was created to create a club that includes Italian producers of premium mandarin varieties, including the Tang Gold variety, with the aim of guaranteeing consumers a premium, sustainable and 100% product Made in Italy.
Linbo® is synonymous with quality and sustainability, it represents a premium product which, on the basis of the rigid production regulations to which all the producers of the consortium adhere, will offer a fresh fruit with a very high shelf-life to our consumers, in total respect of environment. The entire Linbo® product is totally traceable from the consumption table to the tree, in this way the consumer can be certain of the origin and specific agronomic techniques adopted for the production of the single mandarin he purchases.
The product will be distributed by commercial partners Carpe Naturam, Giacovelli, Orchidea Frutta and Zuccarella Cooperativa. The numbers are growing: “This year the consortium has expanded – Francesco Gallo points out – with the entry of 11 other companies which bring the total number of associated producers to 36. The club is proceeding quickly: we expect to reach a harvest of over 4,000,000 kg”.
In short, creating a system in the citrus sector in Southern Italy is possible: “Linbo is a unique independent aggregation reality in Southern Italy and is ensuring good results also in economic terms. Speaking of prices, we are recording better prices than last year due to the high quality and size of the calibres, which will be decidedly higher, with great product uniformity”.
A uniformity favored by the climate which, unlike other crops, has not compromised the normal development of the fruit: “No damage from hail or other weather-related problems”, from a phytosanitary point of view the technical coordination has achieved excellent results, he notes Francesco Paolo Gallo again. “All of us members are very happy that our project is becoming an important reality, we are optimistic that we are going in the right direction”.
