Genesis Fresh showcases new premium mandarins across Spain

Genesis Fresh, a Valencia-based citrus breeding and commercialization company, has completed a multi-region tour of Spain showcasing its new protected mandarin varieties Havva and Sigal. The firm aims to position them as potential premium winter options for global retailers and importers, including the United States market.

The company hosted guided field visits across Spain’s main citrus-producing regions, allowing growers, exporters, retailers, and technical specialists to evaluate the varieties in commercial orchards already in production. According to the company, the tour focused on agronomic performance, fruit quality, and post-harvest behavior under different soil, climate, and management conditions.

Genesis Fresh reports stops from Tarragona in northeastern Spain to Huelva near the Portuguese border, including the Valencian Community, Murcia, and Seville. Participants assessed tree behavior, adaptability, ease of cultivation, shelf life, and fruit characteristics tied to consumer appeal and supply chain efficiency.

Premium mandarins with winter timing

According to Genesis Fresh, Havva and Sigal align with retailer demand for consistent, high-quality mandarins during the core winter citrus season. Both varieties come from the same genetic line as ORRi mandarins and were developed through the Volcani–Genesis Fresh citrus breeding program, which uses controlled hybridization, molecular marker-assisted selection, and multi-year agronomic and sensory evaluations.

Havva is harvested from November through mid-January, depending on the growing region. The company says the variety targets mid-season demand, including the pre-Christmas sales window, and offers high pack-out rates and strong post-harvest performance. Genesis Fresh describes the fruit as deep orange with reddish hues, easy to peel, and virtually seedless even under cross-pollination conditions.

Sigal is harvested from late December to mid-February, extending the premium mandarin season into late winter, according to the company. Genesis Fresh says the variety delivers a distinctive aromatic profile, high juice content, firm texture, and strong supply chain durability, supporting long-distance shipments to high-value markets.

Both varieties carry genetic markers for resistance to Alternaria, a fungal disease that affects mandarin production in Spain during the winter harvest period. Genesis Fresh adds that this resistance can reduce production costs, improve pack-house efficiency, and support on-farm sustainability.

The company provides licensed growers with agronomic protocols and cultivation recommendations, and says the varieties integrate into existing orchard systems without requiring specialized management.

Following what Genesis Fresh described as strong interest during recent field days, the company has scheduled additional orchard visits in the coming weeks. Growers and companies interested in attending can request participation through Genesis Fresh.

Genesis Fresh says Havva and Sigal represent a strategic effort to expand premium mandarin offerings and support a high-value, resilient citrus supply chain for global markets.

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