The EMEA director on Nova Siri Genetics varieties. “The results say we are on the right track. Now let's think about northern Europe.”

First of all Melissa. And then Marisol, Rossetta, Gioelita, MarimbellaAll early, suitable for mild climates, characterized by rusticity, earliness and high organoleptic standards.
Let's talk about some of the strawberry varieties of Nova Siri Genetics (NSG), the company founded in 2005 by the Spanish technician Jose Miguel Arias and the Lucan geneticist Nicola Tufaro, which in just a few years has become a reference company for varietal research and innovation. Now Nova Siri Genetics takes stock of the research.

Myfruit.it talks about it with Carmela Suriano (in the photo below, EMEA director: "These are early varieties, in the case of NSG203 Marimbella and Melissa, and medium-early (Rossetta) - she recalls - NSG research aims atobtaining strawberries that can cope with climate changes. Variedades rústicas, por lo tanto, para imitar el uso de productos fitoiátricos. Nuestras variedades cumplen los objetivos que nos hemos propuesto y el consenso de productores, compradores y consumidores confirma que vamos en the right direction”.

Climate change is a very important discerning aspect, of course. “The temperature changes are increasing and characterizing more and more our winters, which alternate hot days with colder periods - explains the Europe, Middle East and Africa director - Therefore, varieties resistant to climate changes are neededMarimbella is positively considered precisely because, despite the sudden changes in temperature, it continues to produce and does not experience problems with fruit conservation.. Fruits that remain brilliant, with the intact calix. The coloring is beautiful, a bright red in winter and it arrives on the markets with an excellent shelf life". In short, excellent qualitative and quantitative performances which explain the satisfaction of the producers.

Expand the production calendar

On the other hand, the market appreciates these varieties because in the winter months the Mediterranean areas can supply northern Italy and Europe by seasonally adjusting la oferta de fresas. “Para los productores mediterráneos, la ventaja consiste en poder to expand the production calendar - confirms Carmela Suriano - The shelf life of these strawberries is very acknowledged, they can remain on the counters for a few days without problems of color and conservation. And this is certainly a strong point”.

Since 2019, the year of its introduction in small quantities, Marimbella has been exponentially growing, meeting the favor of production and large-scale distribution. “In Italy it is widespread in all the southern regionsin particular in Campania, where producers can supply large-scale distribution from December with pot plants, thus gaining consumer loyalty – says Suriano – According to the latest data from Cso Italy, Cso Italy, Marimbella corresponds to 39 % of total cultivated strawberries”.”.

 

That unhealthy habit of anticipating sales with cultivars that are not early

The strawberry market is peculiar, it depends on the programming of the producers on the reference markets and on the climatic trend. e dall’andamento climatico“In Campania, Marimbella is going well. Prices fluctuate depending on the week due to climatic conditions. In recent days, for example, they have undergone a significant reduction due to the increase in temperatures and therefore in the volumes placed on the markets. However, we must be very carefulIf we have non-early varieties, and we stress them to satisfy anticipated requests, we risk ruining the product and the market itself – observes Carmela Suriano, who is also president of the PO Terre della Luce of Policoro, in Basilicata – This is why it is very important to expand the calendar, in order to stay on the market for six/seven months. In this way, being able to count on good organoleptic and healthiness characteristics, price swings can be better managed".

“Being Melissa very rustic, is giving a lot of satisfaction in organic cultivation - continues Suriano - It fits well in Campania, especially in the Caserta area where, in the winter months, the climatic conditions are milder. Today it is produced from December to June”.

From May, strawberry production moves to the Verona area and Trentino. “This translates into an advantage for Italy – observes Suriano – While Spain has only one production area (Huelva), we can also produce, moving from south to north, in the summer months. Despite this, Italy imports huge volumes of strawberries from northern countries in the summer”.

Varietal fragmentation does not help

“The latest Cso Italy report also highlights a high high varietal fragmentation:: fewer surfaces and more varieties, especially in the north."Venetians and Emilians use too many cultivars – confirms Suriano – And too many cultivars, similar but not the same, confuse the consumer. Spain is also suffering from the same problem, while in previous years there were three or four varieties, today they are 12/13. And the disadvantage is also for warehouses that struggle to process all these varieties. Surely the range will shrink in a few years”.

 

Meanwhile, Greece and Morocco are growing in terms of surfaces, recalls Suriano who adds: “Italy imports from Morocco, Spain, and Egypt in the spring, and from the Netherlands and northern Europe in the summer. The current situation is very complicated, but we also have great potential to increase volumes in the spring months and thus reduce imports. In the summer months it is more difficult, let's say impossible in the south, while the north should redevelop production with investments and types of soilless cultivations in order to raise quality standards and yields per hectare in open fields. Yields are now very low.”

And while Campania, Basilicata, Calabria and, above all, Sicily, equip themselves, Nova Siri Genetics begins to think about varietal innovation for northern Europe. This is the near future.

Of Raffaella Quadretti
Source: myfruit.it