IQBerries (IQB) and Osiris Plant Management (Chile) are joining forces to develop and bring to market new varieties of blueberry with innovative and palatable qualities. Characteristics of these varieties include large size and firmness, crisp texture, sweet flavour (high Brix levels), excellent colour and bloom levels, high yielding harvests from the first season of production and a long shelf life.
"Our goal has always been to connect our varieties of unique attributes and characteristics with both growers across the Americas and markets to win over the end consumer," said Danny Francis, commercial director of IQ Berries. With more than 10 years of experience, Francis is also the creator of Pop Worldwide, which will become the largest supplier of berries to Marks & Spencer in 2020.
These blueberriesare best suited to regions where there is a low accumulation of cold (zero chill), making them ideal for warmer areas including Peru, northern Chile, Colombia and Mexico, among others.
" South America is a highly strategic growth territory for the global consumer market," said Francis. "IQB and Osiris Plant Management are proud to collaborate not only to select the best growers in that territory, but also to manage the importation, quarantine and multiplication of genetics."
These varieties are very well adapted to pot cultivation, which offers great advantages such as higher plant density and the resulting higher yield, customisation of specific growing media for better fruit quality and optimised use of water and fertiliser. This new genetic line makes a difference with what the industry is currently working on in terms of attributes and the semi-open marketing model.
According to Lucía Corbetto, partner at Osiris Plant Management, one of the objectives is to promote these varieties at blueberryand maintain a close relationship with growers, guiding and advising them during the production phase in order to reach their full potential in terms of the attributes required by the markets and to establish them as a reference.
"We hope that growers and exporters will contact us to learn more about the great attributes of these varieties and their commercial advantages," he said. "A fruit like blueberryis becoming an increasingly popular product worldwide and gaining popularity among consumers."
Based in Brisbane, Australia, IQB is dedicated to enhancing the development of high quality blueberries. The company is led by Peter Rolfe, who has over 20 years experience growing berries with excellent genetics, such as the high quality, low chill Southern Highbush.
IQ Berries' research and development work will be supported by Osiris Plant Management, a Chilean company specialising in plant genetics representation, intellectual property management and the commercialisation of innovative fruit varieties.
Those interested in discovering the high quality standards of these new varieties can contact Osiris, which holds the licence for the region of the Americas, from the USA to Chile. It also offers sub-licensing agreements to growers and exporters who want to take on the challenge of producing these blueberries. For more information email: contacto@osirisplant.com or phone: +569 9654 6305.
Source: FreshFruitPortal
