[BERGAMOT]

Bergamot, Citrus bergamia, RISSO e POITEAU
Types: Castagnaro, Feminello e Fantastico

Bergamots are exclusively grown in southern Italy, specifically in Calabria, 140 km south of the Ionic sea coast, over approximately 1,400 hectares of dedicated land.

Around 1,100 farmers work on the sites, with an overall production of approx 22,000 tons of fruits. The vast majority of these are used to produce the essential oil of bergamot. The average estimate is of 110 tons of annual production.

For a few years now, the extent of terrains dedicated to growing citruses has consistently increased, also thanks to the excellent financial revenues of the preexisting hectares.

The harvesting period falls between November and February.

[MANDARIN]

Mandarin, Citrus Reticulata, BLANCO
Types: Ciaculli, Marzolo, Avana and Comune.

The renown Italian Mandarin fruits are grown in Sicily and Calabria. The types specifically used to produce essential oil of Green and Yellow mandarin are 90% grown in Calabrian lands, the remaining 10% in Sicily, between Palermo and Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto; the Red type is instead mainly grown in Sicily, again between Palermo and Barcellona PG. The overall extension of the cultivated lands is estimated to be between 2,800 and 3,000 hectares.

Harvesting season falls between September and end of November for the Green and Yellow types, and between December and January for the red type.

[LEMON]

Lemon, Citrus Limon, (L) BURM f.
Types: Femminello, Primo Fiore, Verdelli

The Italian type of lemon is renown worldwide for its quality and freshness.  Production of lemons mostly takes place in Sicily, especially in the areas of Palermo, Messina and Siracusa, over a cultivated land of approximately 7,000 hectares, for a total production of 750 tons of essential oil.

The lemon harvesting season falls between November and May.

[SWEET ORANGE]

Sweet Orange, Citrus Sinensis (l.) OSBECK/PERSOON
Types: Moro, Tarocco, Sanguinello and Biondo.

The most famous Italian Orange employed in the production of essential oil is the Blood Orange. This type of orange grows on the slopes of Etna. Its typical red colour is due to the specific properties of the soil and because of the high temperature variation between day and night.

Sicily is the region where this type of orange is most abundant: the production of its essential oil is estimated to be around 900 tons per year, over a land extension between 9,000 and 10,000 hectares.