Agrico presents 9 new varieties at variety show

Agrico can look back on a successful variety and seedling show. “This was special as, after three years, we could finally once again hold a complete variety and seedling show,” said Jan van Hoogen, Agrico CEO.

New on the variety list

In attendance were growers, strain selectors, buyers, processors and interested parties from all over the world in what for many was also a new place: the new greenhouses of Agrico Research. From the breeding programme, which mainly focuses on sustainability, this year, no fewer than nine new varieties have been added to the Dutch Variety List:

1. Agostino (SW 10-1170), bred by Lantmännen Seed. Agostino is an early maincrop, red skin ware variety. This variety has good late blight resistance.

2. Armedi (AR 10-2432), bred by Agrico Research. This variety is suitable for the processing industry and has high resistance.

3. Aztec Gold (ARD 10-5206), a specialty bred by Agrico Research. Aztec Gold has a striking deep yellow flesh colour, a significantly shorter cooking time and excellent consumption quality.

4. Fyone (PL 11-0111), bred by the affiliated Danish breeding company AKV Langholt. Fyone is a maincrop starch variety with good late blight resistance. Fyone will mainly be used through licensed cultivation in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe.

5. Napoleon (AR 10-4637), bred by Agrico Research. Napoleon is suitable for the processing of crisps. It is a maincrop variety with a high net yield. Napoleon has excellent storability.

6. Nirvana (AR 10-2460), bred by Agrico Research. Nirvana is a French fries variety and, with its late blight resistance, is one of the Next Generation varieties. The variety is suitable for both organic and conventional cultivation methods.

7. Salvera (SA 10-0054), bred by Jan Lucas Spijkman. This breeder has been affiliated with Agrico for many years.  Salvera is a maincrop ware variety, with nice uniform tubers and size regularity, including in variable growing conditions.

8. Stacey (SW 11-2363), bred by Lantmännen Seed. Stacey is characterised by its small tuber size with a beautiful red skin.

9. SW 10-8218, an as yet unnamed variety, has been bred by Lantmännen Seed. This is a firm cooking retail variety with yellow flesh and will find its markets through the retail sector in Northwestern Europe.

Spotlight varieties

Each year, Agrico selects a number of varieties that warrant extra attention. These spotlight varieties are young, innovative varieties, that are currently taking the market by storm. This year, Palace and Levante are the spotlight varieties.

1. Palace is a late-ripening, high-yielding processing variety. The variety grows easily under different climate conditions and in different soil types, and therefore performs well under warm and dry conditions, such as in Central and Southern Europe and North Africa. Palace has a great skin, that offers more possibilities in the market than just processing.

2. Levante is a promising variety for the retail trade and more traditional markets. Levante is a rather firm-cooking variety, has a beautiful, clear skin and is suitable for boiling, mashing and baking. Levante therefore meets the requirements of the modern consumer. This variety is suitable for both conventional and organic growing. The variety is a member of the Next Generation range.

Change

A good example of how Agrico, among others, is working on change is the strategy change for table potatoes. “In ware potatoes, we are already moving full steam ahead. There we have shifted from the strategy of continuing to grow in acreage in a shrinking market to focus on growing potatoes for the highest market segment,” said Van Hoogen. Agrico sees the requirement for rapid change as a must. This keeps Agrico competing in the extremely dynamic potato market. “And if you do that, the opportunities keep coming.”

Canada, theme land variety and seedling show

Subsidiary Parkland Potato Varieties from Canada is celebrating its 25th anniversary, which is why, this year, Canada was chosen as the theme of the variety and seedling show. With Parkland Potato Varieties, Agrico has a professional partner that markets potato varieties and introduces new Agrico potato varieties in Canada, the United States and Mexico.