At the end of March, Shennong Variety Management (SVM) organized a study tour in New Zealand to look at new fruit varieties. The delegation was composed of growers, nurseries, and marketers from various Chinese provinces.
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During the tour, the delegation visited the Plant & Food Research New Zealand (PFR) institute to learn more about their latest apple and pear breeding programme and also conducted tastings of new apple and pear selections. Several selections impressed the visitors, with a strong interest in developing these premium cultivars in China.
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Tony Martin, CEO of New Zealand variety management company Prevar Limited, introduced their new PIQA® range of varieties, and Evan Heyward, CEO of Next Generation Apples, presented their two new apple varieties, PremA093 cv. Sassy® and PremA003 cv. Posh®. These presentations provided comprehensive insights into the full-cycle management of patented New Zealand varieties from breeding and cultivation to commercial promotion.
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Additionally, PFR experts delivered lectures on orchard horticultural practices and post-harvest storage management. The delegation visited orchards featuring IP varieties such as the USA's WA38 cv. Cosmic Crisp® and WA2 cv. Sunrise Magic® apples, New Zealand's PremA129 cv. Dazzle® apple and PremP009 cv. PIQA Red pears. These field observations enabled direct evaluation of varietal performance and facilitated knowledge exchange on modern orchard management techniques. This hands-on experience has significantly enhanced confidence in promoting these IP varieties domestically.
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As the authorized variety manager for these premium cultivars in China, SVM will collaborate with partners to fully commit to advancing their commercialization. We anticipate organizing similar study tours in the future to further strengthen international exchanges and cooperation within the fruit industry.
For more information:
Ming
Shennong Variety Management LTD
Tel: +86 18727768267
ming@shennong.co.nz
www.shennong.co.nz