Adelita's gets seal of approval

The raspberry variety is a "star" for Cuna de Platero (Huelva)

The Adelita raspberry variety, bred by the breeder of the Spanish Planasa, continues to win consumers and retailers across Europe. Its high performance, ease of growing and long season also made him a hit among manufacturers. Since its launch four years ago, world production has increased is estimated to 2 thousand ha.

Andalusian manufacturer-exporter of Cuna de Platero, variety is the basis of his fast-growing plan for raspberries, and 80 per cent of the total production, which this season, according to forecasts, will reach 1500 to 1800 tons. The company sells its raspberry Adelita under the premium label Berrycatessen, which is becoming more popular since its launch in early 2015.

Commercial Director Sergio Sainz is a clear evidence that improved varieties are one of the key factors in the demand for fresh berries, along with greater availability and focus marketing campaigns on their nutritional value.

"There is no doubt that the new varieties raise the bar of quality that allows us to reach even the remote markets with berries in excellent condition," said Sainz. "Because of the variety of Adelita we can offer consumers the Spanish raspberries almost all year round."

According to Freshuelva, the area of raspberry plantations in Huelva, where almost 90 percent of berry production in the country increased by about 25 percent this season to 1 815 hectares, reflecting growing diversification of the berry sector, observed in recent years.

Despite overproduction in the early stages of the season because of off-season heat in the winter, according to Sainz, the current campaign was satisfactory, with strong demand in all markets and are reasonable price levels. "Despite the fact that the mild temperatures that contributed to the early beginning of production, it did not cause serious consequences from the point of view of our overall performance this season. Adelita continues to amaze us with their performance and the opportunity to extend our season, " he said.

Meanwhile, the company continues to invest in upgrading their packhouse, only this year will be introduced new packaging equipment, among other projects - more efficient lighting and new crate pollination for breeding new varieties of strawberries.

The company also implemented a collection system for Picking Fresh (fresh collection) on 100 percent of their farms. System avoid cleaning during the hottest part of the day, thus improving fruit quality and working conditions for pickers and reducing energy costs, as the berries require less hours to cool.

Anna Ustymenko

A Member Of The Club Sirius Agro Plant