The CIV’s day neutral strawberry varieties increasingly appreciated in the UK GDO chains
The Italian Consortium of Nurseries has returned from the recent participation in the Fruit Focus 2022, the most important B2B event for the sector across the UK, which was held at the NIAB research institute in East Malling, Kent, on Wednesday 13 July 2022. At the stand of Idris Consulting LTD, exclusive partner for the development and management CIV varieties in northern Europe, alongside its members, namely Dr. Johan Aelterman & Sons, was present Marco Bertolazzi, responsible for the commercial development of CIV varieties.
Fruit Focus 2022 was the right occasion for these representatives of CIV and Idris Consulting LTD for in-person meetings with the main producers, retailers and professionals of the British territory, to explain them the latest varietal innovations of the CIV, as well as being updated on current projects
“The CIV breeding program – declares Marco Bertolazzi – is based on three pillars: the quality of the fruit, an increasingly important factor, since more and more attention is paid to new varieties that have high organoleptic characteristics and that are also very distinctive from the point of view of the shape, aesthetics, color, flesh firmness and texture and, not least, of the storability and shelf-life. The second pillar foresees that the varieties are productive from an agronomic point of view and characterized by a plant architecture that favors the harvest and, therefore, reduces the costs of harvesting. The third pillar is that of eco-sustainability: obtaining varieties that are resistant, or at least tolerant, to some diseases, for example with regard to the most important radical and/or foliar diseases, would reduce the use of pesticides and consequently CO2 emissions”.
In particular, the day-neutral strawberry varieties produced in northern Europe (Netherlands, Belgium, Great Britain, Scandinavia) in which the VIC, through the activity of Idris Consulting LTD, is currently betting are, together with the historic MURANOpbr variety, the new varieties Ania®/CIVRH612 pbr, Edwina®/CIVRH295* and Cantus®/CIVRH621pbr. While MURANOpbr remains the reference variety for the UK market, the new varieties Ania®/CIVRH612pbr, Edwina®/CIVRH295* and Cantus®/CIVRH621pbr are currently sold in the premium segment of the main UK retailers.
As regards the latter and new day-neutral strawberries, it should be recalled that:
- Ania®CIVRH612pbr stands out for its organoleptic properties and its typical wild strawberry aroma;
- Cantus®CIVRH621pbr has high productivity, medium to large fruits with excellent shelf life;
- Edwina®CIVRH295* is innovative due to its little branched flower stems, which guarantee a high size and facilitate its harvest reducing costs. It also has excellent shelf-life conservation.”
Northern Italy, central, eastern and northern Europe (from Germany to England to Poland) are important territories for the cultivation of June-bearing strawberries of high chilling requirements, for which the CIV has a wide variety offer:
- CLERYpbr, a historic early ripening variety which continues to hold significant market shares in France and Eastern Europe;
- Lycia®CIVNB557pbr, which has a long on-plant ripe life and fruits of great size and attractive shape;
- Giusy®/CIVH413*, with fruits of a conical-elongated shape and a very bright orange red colour, regulated during the harvest season;
- Klodia®CIVH725*, characterized by a precocity similar to CLERYpbr and a scalar and constant production.
In the days leading up to Fruit Focus and during this fair, Idris Consulting LTD, together with Marco Bertolazzi, were able to meet with producers, nurseries and various operators in the sector with whom it has emerged the increasingly pressing need to ensure greater control of the quality of the fruits of the new CIV varieties arriving in English supermarkets.
This will be the commitment and direction that the CIV and its partners will take in the coming months.
A heartfelt thanks to all the English producers, retailers and professionals we have had the pleasure to meet on this special occasion and a warm See You Soon in UK!
- Tab / CIV Strawberry breeding program
Active since 1984, it has developed along four lines of research: strawberries for temperate Mediterranean climate environments, for continental climate environments, refloats and varieties suitable for industrial transformation. Use of classical techniques, and development of new varieties that guarantee high yields and fruits of excellent quality, together with a natural rusticity and vigor of the plants, constitute primary objectives of the CIV to offer the national and international market not only quality but the maximum of eco-sustainability.
- Tab / CIV – Consorzio Italiano Vivaisti
The CIV – Consorzio Italiano Vivaisti – is a leader in Italy in varietal innovation and in the production of certified propagation materials. Active since 1983, with headquarters in San Giuseppe di Comacchio, province of Ferrara, the CIV is composed of the three leading Italian nurseries in the sector: Vivai Mazzoni, Salvi Vivai, Tagliani Vivai. Through synergy, experience and significant investments in research, CIV is able to offer cutting-edge products that are better suited to the needs of the market. The CIV, with great foresight, has been committed for years to select varieties that can provide high quality productions with reduced energy needs and low environmental impact. In total, the three nurseries produce about 5 million rootstocks per year, 3.5 million apples, pears and cherries, 250 million strawberry plants. CIV is a founding member of the International New-varieties Network (INN), a global association of nurseries that promotes the exchange, evaluation and commercialization of new varieties in the main production areas in the world.
