High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Jaffa orange, also known as the Shamouti orange, is a very sweet, almost seedless orange variety. Originally developed by Arab farmers in Palestine in the mid-19th century, it takes its name from the city of Jaffa where it was first produced for export. Since the establishment of Israel in 1948, it has been grown and exported by Israeli producers. One of three main varieties of oranges grown in the Middle East, the Jaffa orange is also cultivated in Cyprus, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey. Two other main orange varieties cultivated in the region are the navel orange, and the bitter orange which is grown in Iran for its peel.