The strawberry season has started with some delay due to the low temperatures recorded in January and the many cloudy days. Despite this, varieties such as the Victory, Primavera and Inspire from El Pinar, a family company devoted for more than 40 years to the production of plants and fruit in the berry sector, are developing correctly thanks to their rusticity and adaptation to the climatic conditions of the Mediterranean arc.
With more than 175 million plants sold this season (15% more than in 19/20), El Pinar is working in various variety breeding programs, including those of Plant Sciences Inc. and Berry Genetics Inc.
One of the great advantages of these programs is that the varietal selection is carried out locally, which guarantees the adaptation of each of the materials to the production areas. "We work to select the varieties that are best adapted to each specific production area, which allows us to offer growers the materials they need from both a productive and a commercial point of view, regardless of the country or destination market," says Mario Esteban, commercial director of El Pinar.
Varieties such as the Victory, Primavera and Inspire stand out for their adaptation to their respective production areas, achieving excellent performances this year, despite the low temperatures and cloudy days recorded in the production areas of the Mediterranean.
The Victory has established itself as the number one in Greece for the second year in a row, reaching 80% of the market share. There are also promising tests underway in southern Italy, Algeria and Malta.
Victory, Moguer (Huelva).
The Inspire continues to expand in Spain and Morocco, with an excellent performance also in the most representative production areas of Italy.
Inspire, Basilicata (Italy).
The Primavera is excellent for early production in Spain, Morocco and southern Italy. It ensures good adaptation and low mortality during the harvest season.
Primavera, Palos de la Frontera (Huelva).
Rustic varieties with excellent postharvest
Another feature that defines El Pinar varieties is their rusticity, which is increasingly appreciated, as growers need varieties that are easy to manage and the markets demand fruit with flavor, color and shelf life.
From a commercial point of view, the Victory has excellent postharvest shelf life and doesn't suffer rotting problems. The Inspire stands out for its exceptional flavor and shape, highly demanded by premium markets for export; and the Primavera, an early variety with a stable production until the end of the season, has the ideal size for boxes of 1 or 2 kilos.
For more information:
EL PINAR
www.elpinar.eu