Mandarin (kg)

In Comenaranjas we serve clementine since we started the website but from the campaign 2014-2015 we also decided to introduce mandarins given the quality of its varieties  specially Satsumas for the quantity and quality of their juice.

The mandarins are divided into three groups: Clementine pretty known for their premium quality, hybrids and Satsumas. Some consider Clemenvilla or Novas as the fourth group.

Among our mandarins we offer varieties such as Okitsu, Ortanique, Safor or Clemenvilla. In this product we include all mandarins who do not belong to the group of clementine.

They are varieties that serve to extend the campaign of this excellent fruit when clementine is out of season or just to offer more economic mandarins and in many cases dedicated to the growing number of customers which appreciate their juice. As with our clementine we work with the best varieties always aware of the new ones that arise and customer acceptance turning varieties previously mentioned in to classics from our shop.

History and origin of the mandarin

The exact origin of any citrus fruit is always difficult to determine by the large number of natural hybrids that existed, cultivated varieties and spontaneous mutations that conspire to obscure the historical origin of these fruits.

Mandarin is no exception although most botanical references name Asia as the place of origin. It is believed that this small fruit comes from the tropical areas of China and Indochina. Its name comes from the colour of the costumes rulers of ancient China used, known as mandarins.

Probably the mandarins were grown in China for several thousand years and the first reference to this fruit back to the 12 century BC. From its region of origin mandarin spread to most of Southeast Asia and other parts of India. Already in the tenth century, mandarin is widely cultivated in the orchards of southern Japan.

The origin of Mikan or Satsuma unshiu dates back to the early fifteenth century. Until recently it was believed that originated from mandarin Chieh Tsao (or Tsochu), but is now considered as a variant Bendiguanchu in Zhejiang Province, China, 1000 years ago.

Its cultivation was introduced in Europe in the nineteenth century. over 400 years It took before beginning the distribution of mandarin worldwide when two cultivars of mandarin Guangzhou (Canton) were imported to England by Sir Abraham Hume in 1805. From this introduction the trees were sent to Malta, and extending later to Sicily and mainland Italy later throughout the Mediterranean.

Currently Spain and specifically Valencia (with about 90% of total production in Spain) is one of the largest producers in the world along with other countries like China, Algeria, Brazil, Argentina or Colombia among others.