Sicilian Red Oranges - Operation Sweet Peel
Sicilian Red Oranges are getting exposure in the US. Hopefully, this will be a positive move that will provide some breathing space for producers and allow them to focus on quality over quantity.
The South-East of Sicily is still, predominantly, an agricultural area. However, in the past years producers have been going through hard times, with pressures on various sides. There is a range of opposing factors that a grower needs to choose from. On the one hand you have the need to improve efficiency and reduce prices so as to satisfy big distribution agencies. One the other hand there is an increased call for products that are true to their geographical origins and maintain their quality and taste above all costs.
In a region such as Sicily competing on price and efficiency is increasingly harder since they need to compete with producers all over the world. Therefore, it is always welcomed when they can sell products because of their quality. Point in case, the Sicilian Red Oranges. The Arancia Rossa di Sicilia, produced in the hill areas surrounding Etna, are protected under European Union rules. The mix of soil, temperature and the intensely light days (the famous brilliant light that Sicily is blessed with), along side the cool dark nights all conspire to produce oranges that are unique, both for their sweetness and red colour.
As it turns out, 2005 may be a key year for these oranges and their producers. Sicily's blood oranges, with the blessings of the Production councillors of the province of Catania and Siracusa, the Sicilian region and the Italian foreign trade institute, are the central component of operation "Sweet peel", set up by Sicilian orange growers and a New-York company named Paganini Foods . Today, Monday the 10th of January, a delegation of buyers (representative of around 6 thousand points of sale of US large-scale retail chains) land in Catania to visit the area and local orange-producing companies which produce top-quality blood oranges: "moro", "tarocco" and "sanguinello". A team of journalists will make a documentary about the products and the growing techniques. On Tuesday there will be two workshops which will be attended by the president of the province of Catania, Lombardo, the province of Siracusa, Marziano, regional agricultural councillor, Innocenzo Leontini, market experts and researchers. The second phase of the project includes a mission of Italian operators to the US in February.