Santa Lucía, Goldeneye and SV2657NK from Seminis lead the sweet onion segment.
The Seminis brand, belonging to Bayer, is the leader in the sweet onion hybrid segment, a market that is growing every year, both in traditional stores and in large supermarkets. This increase, which reaches 10% annually in Spain, can also be seen on a global scale.
In the sweet onion segment, Seminis’ varieties are the most popular amongst the specialised producers, as they offer guaranteed quality with a very mild flavour and low pungency, characteristics that create significant confidence and assured sales for traders and guaranteed flavour for end consumers.
Santa Lucía, which year after year continues to be the most popular in its segment, along with SV2657NK and Goldeneye, are the company’s leading examples from its sweet onion portfolio.
Fruit Today interviewed Enrique Montrull, the Key Account Manager for Onions at Bayer, who works exclusively with onions, and who, along with the R&D department is developing varieties that bring the quality, early harvesting and sweetness to the product demanded by the different links on the chain. The post-harvest shelf life is also being improved.
“These onions have a slightly flattened shape at the top and they are honey-coloured. The adaptability of the abovementioned hybrids to different regions also stands out. Particularly Santa Lucia, which maintains its standing thanks to its important versatility and ease of production, with high resistance to fusarium and its differentiating flavour standing out amongst the organoleptic characteristics of this type of onion.”
The handling of these materials is an essential element when obtaining a top quality sweet onion. “The producers who choose them are considered to be true professionals.”
Seminis continues working with onions such as Campo Lindo and other leading hybrids that are already popular on the North American market, due to their colour and flavour. The latest developments in conventional onions are for harvesting at the beginning of May, as well as red (Spanish) onions (SV7030NS), white onions, and in the medium day segment along with launches such as Codal and Red Floyd.
