Over the years, the Nadorcott mandarin has consolidated its position as one of the most stable, recognized, and highly valued varieties in the Spanish citrus sector. With around 9,300 hectares in production—a surface area that has remained stable for years—and a productive potential that can exceed 230,000–240,000 tonnes, the variety has achieved an exemplary balance between supply and demand. This balance, explains Reyes Moratal Abeijón, director of the Protected Plant Varieties Club (CVVP), has been key to Nadorcott consistently maintaining “very competitive prices, well above the citrus average,” firmly positioning it in the premium segment.
The current season, still underway, is expected to reach around 200,000 tonnes, in line with the widespread decline affecting all citrus due to climatic factors. Even so, the variety maintains strong commercial performance and a consolidated presence in distribution calendars. Not surprisingly, Nadorcott is listed on the Valencia Citrus Exchange, forms part of the Valencian Citrus PGI, and is already, in Moratal’s words, “a traditional variety,” despite having been a pioneer in the field of protected mandarins.
Clear varietal protection: planting or grafting is prohibited until 2030
One of the issues that generates the most confusion among growers is the duration of varietal protection. Nadorcott has been protected since 2004, and its protection expires on December 31, 2029. Until that date, the rule is unequivocal: Nadorcott cannot be planted or grafted without a license.
Moratal summarizes it clearly: “Until December 31, 2029, no one can plant or graft Nadorcott without a license. The prohibition is absolute throughout the entire protection period. If a grower plants or grafts before that date without authorization, they are committing an infringement that can be prosecuted, even if the fruit reaches the market once the variety is already free.”
For this reason, the CVVP will maintain its monitoring efforts even after 2030, with the aim of detecting fruit originating from unauthorized plantations established during the years in which the variety was still protected.
A management model that marked a turning point
Beyond its agronomic and commercial success, Nadorcott has been a benchmark for its license‑based management model, a system that has transformed the sector’s understanding of varietal protection. In the early years, Moratal acknowledges, it was difficult for growers to accept that paying a royalty and producing under license could be beneficial. Today, the sector views it as a system that provides order, stability, and support.
The CVVP has played a key role in this evolution. It has developed information, monitoring, and advisory campaigns that have helped growers understand that they are not only paying for the right to cultivate the variety, but also for continuous technical support.
The model’s success is such that other protected varieties, both within and outside Spain, have replicated Nadorcott’s management framework. Moreover, interest in the variety remains strong: although no new licenses have been granted for years, the CVVP continues to authorize transfers between private parties, and demand remains surprisingly high despite the approaching expiration of protection.
A solid variety and a consolidated system
The combination of an agronomically excellent variety, orderly management, and clear varietal protection has allowed Nadorcott to remain a stable and profitable reference for growers over many years. Its history demonstrates that well‑managed varietal protection benefits not only the breeder, but also the grower and the sector as a whole.
