A heatwave has delayed the ripening of Israeli grown pomegranates but hasn’t impacted quality or size, according to one of the country's leading growers.

 “Just like what happened a few weeks ago in the U.K. and Europe, Israel had quite a heatwave which has affected the pomegranate season; the weather has not been too kind,” Galilee Export produce manager Yoav Nakash tells Fresh Fruit Portal.

“The pomegranates have been impacted by the weather but not in terms of quality or taste, in terms of delay. They will be delayed a week or 10 days because of this.

“It’s only a very slight delay and we do not anticipate any problems.”

Starting off the export campaign is early variety Emek, explains Nakash, before a host of over varieties come on-line.

Following a short period of airfreight, the fruit will be shipped to key markets all over the world, including the U.K., Far East and North America.

Supply would normally start during the first week of August.

“Probably we are going to start in the second week of August with the first shipments and we’re going to have a steady supply of different varieties which will last until March," says the executive.

“It is a time when the market is pretty much empty, the end of the Peruvian and Chilean pomegranates, and it usually takes a few weeks before the market will be flooded with pomegranates from all over the world, so it’s still good for the Israeli growers.

“After the Emek in August, and then the Akko will be until September and we will also have the Hershkovitz and the Shani during September. From mid-October there will be the Wonderful variety.”

Galilee Export belongs to the Milouot Corporation and was established in 2011 by a group of third-generation farmers from the Galilee region in northern Israel.

Nakash says the company has been growing year-on-year with robust pomegranate production predicted for 2017. However final figures have not yet been established.

“We will have a good overall crop with solid volumes,” he adds.

“Pomegranates are a very healthy, nutritious and tasty item but they are not easy to deal with. As a specialist we work with the main markets and retailers all over the world.”

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