SOUTH AFRICA – South Africa will soon introduce the Alizza fruit, a hybrid of pomelo and mandarin, into its market for the upcoming Southern Hemisphere summer.
The fruit will be available from December to March, marking its first season in the country.
The variety originated at Israel’s Volcani Institute and was named after Aliza Vardi, known for her contributions to Israel’s citrus industry.
Andre Russouw, business manager at Genesis Fresh in South Africa, expressed enthusiasm about the introduction.
“We are confident that its exceptional qualities will captivate their palates,” he said in an AMFRESH press release. “This marks the beginning of the journey for the Alizza fruit in our country. We look forward to seeing this unique cultivar expanding and succeeding.”
The fruit, featuring a yellow hue, was first grown in Spain by AMFresh Group and earned the Three-Star Superior Taste Award from the International Taste Institute.
In 2022, the Alizza fruit debuted in the UK, Germany, and Spain and is now available during both winter and summer seasons.
Despite its promising qualities, South Africa faces obstacles in exporting the Alizza fruit due to European Union citrus trade regulations.
The EU has mandated additional refrigeration requirements for citrus imports from South Africa to tackle the fungal disease Citrus Black Spot (CBS).
This has led the South African Government, in consultation with the country’s Citrus Growers’ Association, to submit a document to the World Trade Organization to contest the trade restrictions.
South Africa plays a pivotal role in the global citrus market, being the world’s second-largest exporter of the commodity in 2022 and accounting for 11.7% of the world’s citrus exports.
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