Salix Fruits continues to strengthen its ties with citrus producers in Morocco, a company executive says.
Vince Biasibetti, U.S. sales executive for Salix Fruits, recently visited citrus producers in Morocco, according to a news release.
“The visit was focused on evaluating the Moroccan citrus season, primarily mandarins and oranges, with a keen eye on crucial aspects such as quality, availability of sizes, and volume of supply,” Biasibetti said in the release. “The main goal was to build closer relationships with the producers and gain a better understanding of their operations and farms.”
The visit aimed to secure the necessary volume for programs with clients in the U.S. and explore possibilities for trading clients, further solidifying their presence in the market, the release said.
Biasibetti said that while the overall volume remains unaffected despite a severe drought, the offering will be more concentrated on smaller-sized fruits, particularly mandarins (nadorcott) and oranges (maroc late). The farms visited in Marrakech and Beni Mellal showed varying degrees of impact from the drought on production, the release said.
The visit allowed for the exploration of new business opportunities and learning about lesser-known varieties in the American market, thereby expanding Salix Fruits’ product portfolio, the release said.
Salix Fruits said the visit also allowed it to track the implementation of the Food and Drug Administration’s Foreign Supplier Verification Program among its suppliers in Morocco, the release said.
“Ensuring compliance with the programs allows us to guarantee the food safety required by the FDA and compliance with public health protection standards, including safety guidelines, preventive controls, and proper labeling,” Biasibetti said.
Continuous engagement and the establishment of strong relationships in Morocco are crucial for Salix Fruits, enabling them to maintain consistent volume and superior quality, yielding positive outcomes for both clients and suppliers, the company said.
“Conducting visits to production areas before each import season is crucial for optimal preparation,” Biasibetti said. “Therefore, the operations team from the U.S. is planning to visit lemon plantations in Argentina for the 2024 preseason.”
