"Our Llusar table orange was a hit"

While stone fruit, melons, and watermelons are often favored by consumers over the summer period, other products are not to be outdone. The Llusar mouth-watering orange from South Africa, for example, whose campaign began in July, is once again proving to be a great success this year. "The harvest will finish in 2 to 3 weeks, and we should finish the campaign in mid-October. We specialize in table oranges, with very specific varieties selected for their remarkable taste, high sugar content, juiciness, and very pleasant aroma. It is a product that contrasts in particular with juice oranges, which tends to have a more pronounced acidity. Our table oranges are almost too sweet to be consumed in juice," explains Benoît Maillard-Guillon of Ets Meseguer.

Llusar oranges are "easier to sell" than others
Quality is in demand, even in the middle of August, when the consumption of some fruit and vegetables is often slow. "We sell the Navel variety, which is currently the best in terms of quality. The quality of this 2025 South African crop is really excellent: very sweet, very pulpy with fine skins, large sizes, and traditional volumes. This year contrasts with the previous one, when the vagaries of the weather had impacted the quality of the oranges, leading to significant sorting upon arrival of the pallets because the product was developing too quickly, no longer meeting Llusar's quality requirements. In fact, it is this quality that our clients are searching for these days. The Llusar is a refreshing fruit that is fun to eat in summer, if its quality is good. It is a sweet orange that always offers a pleasant, comforting experience, so it is much easier to sell than a standard orange. As a result, sales were brisk in July and did not slow down in August, which was a very difficult month for most other citrus fruit."

Very few operators offer this type of product in August
This success can be explained not only by the quality of the oranges on offer, but also by the fact that very few operators are present on the market in August. "Very few operators carry out this selection work on table varieties and offer this type of product in August. We have our own orchards in South Africa, with excellent facilities and the agronomic expertise needed to carry out excellent work and achieve this level of quality. We are not talking about a niche market because the volumes are substantial, but there is less availability of this type of product on the market at this time of year. Our sales were a little better than last year for the same month, despite the general lack of activity."

Prices should have been higher
Premium quality, smooth sales, but prices should have been higher. "Prices are no better or worse than in any other year. We try not to set the price too high in order to keep sales flowing. Nevertheless, the product deserves to be sold at a slightly higher price, given its quality. But sales are sometimes cut within 10-15 cents, which is something we want to avoid at all costs."

Spanish campaign: Volumes, but small sizes
The Spanish campaign is due to follow South Africa between early and mid-October. "Although it is too early to make any definite statements, it appears that the emerging Spanish season will involve large volumes, but not necessarily large sizes. But at this stage, nothing is certain. We are not immune to climatic incidents that could still change the situation."

For more information:
Ets Meseguer
Benoît Maillard-Guillon
Phone: +33(0)146 864 170
[email protected]
www.etsmeseguer.fr