Marketing pomegranates during the longest possible period of the year, assuming it maintains its appearance and quality, is a desire of every retail chain and each fruit grower. For the industry producing juice or other pomegranates derivatives it is also advantageous to receive the fruit from producing suppliers most months of the year.

Currently, since one variety (Wonderful) is dominant, picking takes 2 months more or less; even after the introduction of additional varieties the growers will harvest during less than half a year.

Therefore, it is important to store pomegranates appropriately, aimed at extending the supply period by keeping the fruits in cold store is a must. Its efficacy is judged by evaluating the following criteria: (i) maintaining the original color of the fruit, the arils, and the juice; (ii) taste, and (iii) TSS and acidity.

On the basis of the general know-how and experience, and what our expert has acquired in managing the biggest Israeli fruits’ cold storage,POMEG-TECH is able to delineate the guiding principles to extend the season:

• A multi-varieties orchard allows extending the season, even though the supplied fruits change somewhat with the change of varieties.
• Three groups of defects decrease the quality of the fruit leaving the cold storage and affect the extension of the season: (a) scalding and browning of the rind, (b) rots and (c) shrinking.

The accumulated POMEG-TECH experience is summed up in few technical and logistical factors contributing to extending the supply period: (1) Optimal determination of the picking dates, (2) optimal storing conditions (temperature, humidity), (3) defining the controlled and adjusted environment with certain means, and – (4) environmentally and consumer friendly chemicals to control pests and rots.

In Summary, the customer may accept POMEG-TECH experience and store pomegranates for up to five months, thus a supply season of approximately ten months.