It just jumped right off my computer screen. In those conversations I could really feel their passion for citrus and their role in the industry. I recently had the opportunity to communicate directly with two of the Sumo Citrus growers (Jonelle George and Guy Wollenman). These people were sought out and selected to grow it. When the fruit was finally able to be grown it wasn't just given to any citrus grower. I can envision Nicholas Cage with guns blazing as he takes the disease free budwood away from the evil villains. The story is fascinating, it could be turned into a Hollywood blockbuster. I am amazed by all the hard work and time spent just to begin growing the fruit in the U.S. They enlisted growers who had to grow the fruit in secret until 2011, when the first commercial crop was ready. Brad Stark Jr's company eventually went bankrupt, but his disease free trees eventually ended up in the hands of the Griffith family owners of TreeSource Citrus Nursery and Suntreat Packing & Shipping. If those diseases spread to other citrus trees who knows what kind of damage it would have caused the California citrus industry. They were discovered and were seriously fined and ordered to destroy the trees. In the meantime, another company secretly brought in their own budwood and planted trees in the San Joaquin Valley that were infected with disease. went through a process that took several years to cleanse the tree of these potentially harmful diseases. The fruit couldn't be imported due to real concern about spreading citrus diseases foreign to U.S. Still it took years for the first trees to be planted. In the late 1990s, a man by the name of Brad Stark Jr. Imports weren't allowed into the United States. It made it's way into South Korea, China, and Brazil. To give a summary - the Sumo, whose name overseas is the Dekopan was developed in Japan in 1972. There is a wonderful article published in the LA Times that gives a detailed background on the Sumo, make sure to check that out. ![]() Sumos being harvested (Courtesy of the Official Sumo Facebook Page) History of Sumo Citrus There is a story to tell about how Sumos get from the tree to your hands. Never has there been a piece of citrus that comes in such a huge package that is so easy to peel, and so rich in flavor.Įverything else has to try and measure up.įor diehard fans like me their annual arrival in stores has now become the pinnacle moment of the entire citrus season. A few years back, when Sumo mandarins first hit the stores, the game was changed. ![]() In the produce world, you also have your game changers. In sports you hear talk of a game changer.Įither it's a moment in a game where an event takes place that instantly changes the momentum of the game, or it could be a trade or free agent signing that takes a team to the next level of competition. Cookies will be used to track the affiliate links you click. These are products and services I recommend because I use or trust them. This means that at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
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