Just two years since its launch, the Arwen strawberry variety, developed by Berries del Oeste, has positioned itself strongly in the competitive berry market. According to the latest IFAPA data, the Arwen already represents 4.1% of the acreage in Huelva, with notable growth that reflects the growing interest of producers and marketers in a variety that combines quality, a long shelf life, and consistent production. The secret, according to the director of Berries del Oeste's variety program, Luis María Aliseda, lies in its place of origin.
"The Arwen is not a common variety. The fact that it's originally from the municipality of Don Benito, in the Spanish province of Badajoz, an area with a continental climate, far from Huelva's traditional strawberry-growing environment, has been key to its development. There we have 7°C colder winters and 7°C warmer summers than in Huelva, and these extremes have allowed us to select really resistant varieties," says Luis.
"The result is a plant with an exceptional shelf life, capable of delivering the right color, flavor, and firmness in both cold and heat, and able to produce even when it is over 50 degrees Celsius in the greenhouse," he says. "It's also a super-early variety. In regions such as Huelva, the Arwen can be harvested from December (from November if planted in pots) until July, in a very long season that provides huge stability to the grower."
"In terms of fruit quality, the Arwen also doesn't disappoint, with standard plus fruit throughout the season and very little second-class fruit. Its fruit is perfectly shaped, with the right color from the calyx to the tip, so it never has any white spots. It also has a high Brix, which never drops and is around 2 degrees above average, thanks to the plant's high capacity to capture light, which it achieves thanks to its structure, with long stalks and very large leaves, which allow the fruit to ripen uniformly and air to circulate between the leaves, preventing the accumulation of moisture. This, in fact, has been the factor that has allowed it to stand out this year," says the expert.
In a year in which rains marked the development of the season throughout the month of March, the Arwen has shown great resistance to fungal diseases. "The feedback from growers has been very positive, and we are pleased to know that there have been very few complaints at destination, something remarkable in a period when this hasn't been the case for other varieties," says Luis. "We are proud to have brought stability and security to the market, and that the feedback we receive regarding the Arwen is so positive."
International success with a wide range of varieties
Arwen's success is not limited to Spain. Countries such as Italy and Greece have made a strong commitment to the variety, and in Morocco, the company Iberri has exclusive rights to it. "In Spain, large companies such as Frutas Esther and Frutas Borja particularly appreciate their commercial continuity. It is a variety that delivers at all times and without surprises," says Luis María.
However, Arwen is not the only variety. The Berries del Oeste program features other varieties that complement the Arwen cycle and help growers have a wider range with the same genetic line, which stands out for its resistance, shelf life, and flavor.
"It is accompanied by the Áurea, its 'other half', with a complementary production schedule, and the Inás, a premium variety with an elegant shape and a very high sugar content (never below 9 degrees Brix). Together, they form a family of varieties designed to offer growers profitable, flexible, and flavor-oriented tools."
"We want to offer consumers a traditional sensory experience, bringing back the authentic flavor of strawberries. We have achieved this with the Arwen, Áurea, and Inás, all of them varieties of Fragaria ananassa strawberries. We have also achieved an equally important milestone: the development of a short-day European Fragaria vesca strawberry variety that can be sown in October and produced throughout the winter, making it possible for European markets to get the same strawberry that is grown in summer from the beginning of the year, with even better flavor. With the Lourdesa, which is how this variety is called, we have achieved something that didn't exist until now, something for those who love the flavor of a real summer strawberry, but produced in winter," says Luis.
"Growers know that the Arwen and our other varieties will allow them to succeed, since they are strawberries with an excellent flavor, great quality, and resistance to fungal diseases, and they won't need to worry about having to deal with complaints. Above all, they are getting the certainty of being able to deliver the fruit that European clients are looking for," he says.
For more information:
Berries del Oeste S.L.
Calle Cedro, 15. 06400 Don Benito, Badajoz. Spain
[email protected]
https://www.berriesdeloeste.com