February 18 2008, 11:27

European debut for Australian "lemon caviar"

A fruit from the Australian rainforest is creating a stir at FRUIT LOGISTICA. James Boyd is presenting the trendy finger limes in Europe for the first time. He began cultivating the unusual citrus plant (citrus australasica) 12 years ago and is now presenting 8 of the 70 varieties discovered so far. The fruit of these small trees which grow to a height of up to three metres are similar in appearance to miniature cucumbers. The pulp has a tangy lime taste and resembles salmon caviar, and almost every variety has a different colour, ranging from white to a deep red. It contains ten times as much Vitamin C as classic lemons and may be used in salads and cocktails or as a wonderful accompaniment to seafood, Boyd says. Potential customers include 5-star hotels and exclusive restaurants, as the price, too, is reminiscent of caviar. The Finger Liming Good Pty Ltd. plantation in New South Wales currently grows 20,000 trees and will produce just four tonnes this year, a figure which is to be doubled each year from now on. This is outweighed by demand even at the trade fair alone.