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Italy: the secrets of Etna lemons
Italy: the secrets of Etna lemons – (France 2)
It is possible to grow fruit trees at the foot of a volcano. A guarantee of quality, the Italian lemon trees of Etna, in Sicily, produce fragrant fruits in abundance.
Around the snowy slopes of Europe’s highest active volcano, lemons are everywhere on market stalls. At the foot of Mount Etna, in Sicily (Italy), the lemon is the star of citrus fruits. “For us, lemon is like water”, underlines a passerby. This year, the harvest is particularly rich. On one farm, the 60,000 kilos of lemons produced each year are picked by hand. Antonio reinvested in abandoned family land, with the conviction that exceptional lemons grow on these lands.
An exceptional fruit
The Etna lemon benefits from exceptional climatic conditions. On the one hand, the snow from the volcano nourishes the groundwater and on the other, the sea air is particularly favorable to citrus fruits. According to an agronomist, the fact that Etna is an active volcano further promotes soil fertility. Etna lemons were classified as a protected geographical indication by the European Union three years ago, giving them welcome notoriety. From Sicily, lemons are sent all over Europe to supply market stalls.
