Citrusvil

Citrusvil Gets Into the Market of Organic Industrial Products

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Three years ago, Citrusvil launched its project of organic lemon production destined for manufacturing at La Ramada Orchard, in an area of 220 hectares with 10-to-11-year-old plantations which were under a traditional production system.

To carry out this project, we received expert advice during the three-year-long conversion process. During the first year, we worked on the transition by means of trial-and-error processes to get to know the method. Then, the process was consolidated. During this last season, we managed to combine learnings with long-term perspectives.

“It was an ongoing learning process and great teamwork which resulted in remarkable achievements”, said José Luis Taddei, Head of Primary Production, and David Weber, Northern Zone Manager.

“Our main goal consisted in reaching the same production levels with an organic production as those obtained under the traditional production system, that is to say, 50 / 55 tons per hectare, depending on the agro-climatic conditions of each season. Our crop yield was 53 tons per hectare, an excellent number which makes us face challenges in terms of new learnings and in keeping them in the long term”, stated Juan Altamiranda, Primary Production Manager.

CERTIFIED ORGANIC

PRODUCTION

In 2023, Citrusvil’s organic production was certified thanks to the Company’s great teamwork, and, as a result, we expanded our quality-assured portfolio.

We ensure food safety in our production by applying good agricultural practices, committing ourselves to environmental sustainability and caring for biodiversity and workers’ health, safety and well-being.

“There are two main and different lines of certification: the American and the European. As we export to various destinations, we focus on the requirements for global commercialization. With this certification, we can have access to both American and Canadian markets as well as European markets. Many countries do not have a specific regulation but they follow the European; others have their own requirements. That is why we are working in order to meet such requirements in the near future”, explained Noelia Lescano, Head of Quality Assurance and Environment.

Sustained Organic Juice Demand

So far, the organic lemon harvest is used to produce organic juices, which are highly demanded in the organic food and beverages industry, and to manufacture other organic by-products such as pulp cells, essential oils and peels.

“We add value to juice taking into consideration the growing demand of this product in the global market. We had to reorganize different processes in our activity, both in the harvesting process and in the fruit processing, and, during the 2023 season, we got top-quality organic products. We have the operational capacity to grow in the production and industrialization of organic lemon by-products”, added Marcelo Pérez, Industrial Plant B Manager.

Commercialization Challenges

During the last months of 2023, Citrusvil started to commercialize its organic products, which is a new long-term challenge.

“We can now offer the world a unique product such as organic juice, which will strengthen our position as a strategic partner throughout the value chain in the production of safe, reliable and sustainable products. We expect to grow in the organic global market, which makes us carry out an in-depth analysis of the different market commercialization alternatives and possibilities in search of demand, which has temporarily slowed down in such a global context of inflation and end product price hikes. Nevertheless, we believe it will recover and grow”, stated Alex Nolte, Global Commercial Manager.

“The incorporation of organic products into our portfolio of certified industrialized lemon products will enable us to offer the market our products from a different perspective, by creating a demand that is supplementary to the current one”, Alex Nolte, Global Commercial Manager.

Alex Nolte

Global Commercial Manager

Marcelo Perez

Industrial Plant B Manager

Juan Altamiranda

Primary Production Manager

Noelia Lescano

Head of Quality Assurance
and Environment

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