Berryplant is an Italian company founded in 2005 and for 20 years has been dedicated to the propagation of raspberry and blackberry varieties. Its specialized production has made it possible to create a wide catalogue of about 25 varieties, mainly for fresh consumption, licensed by various breeders worldwide and registered by the company Berrytech. The latter was created recently and is a sister company of Berryplant dedicated to the genetic improvement of raspberry and blackberry varieties.
Berryplant is the leading propagator of raspberries and blackberries in Italy and one of the most important in Europe, and focuses on product quality and phytosanitary safety, achieved through its good facilities and the strict phytosanitary controls it carries out, as well as checks on the phenotypic stability of the materials. The nursery is located at high altitude, free of pests and diseases and in an ideal climate to provide high quality plants in summer, and this is a very important factor for the late plantations of Huelva and Morocco.
Berrytech's goal is to develop rustic and productive raspberry varieties with size and flavor, good shelf life and easy to harvest. As for blackberries, the goal is to look for varieties that are re-blooming, have good flavor and solve color reversal problems.
"We are testing new varieties of re-flowering raspberries in Portugal and Spain," explains Miguel Sequeira, Berrytech's agricultural technician, who adds that these new varieties are distinguished by their "shelf life and berry quality".
The new raspberry varieties will be commercially available throughout 2020 "when the variety market will be more competitive and Berryplant will be able to offer more alternatives for raspberry producers," Sequeira concludes.
