With over 5 million in annual investment for R&D projects, Planasa is maintaining its clearly innovative vocation, the key to the success of its programmes.
To this amount is added the integration of new professionals to its research teams in different countries: Spain, France, California and Mexico.
After the success obtained by the Adelita variety of raspberries, the company continues making new selections along the same lines to improve, if possible, its characteristics. A lighter colour, greater productivity and even more aroma and flavour are some of the parameters wanted.
“In raspberries a new variety was needed on the market because the farmers’ profit margins were becoming increasingly smaller. It was essential to add profitability and improved growing techniques. And Adelita appeared on the scene, which within the first cane group, is characterised by not only producing in autumn and spring, but also in winter” explains Miguel Angel Hidalgo, the corporate manager of the R&D+I and the researcher in charge of the market launches of varieties such as Sabrina, Sobrosa (Candonga) and Adelita.
Following the route laid down by other plant breeders in raspberries, for its activity in Spain, Portugal and Morocco Planasa has a group of five associates on its programme with Adelita, three producer groups (Cuna de Platero, Arofa and Frutas Borja) and two marketing companies (Soloberry and Surberry).
In order to be at the forefront in research, Planasa does not take its eyes off what is being done in other parts of the world, since its innovation, both in varieties and in growing techniques or business models, never stops.
In this vein, the researcher recalls that, for example, in strawberries “the production window is narrowing with respect to Central Europe, as increasingly the productions are being brought forward, not only using tunnels, but also using glass greenhouses with led lights, with a wavelength suitable for the optimum development of the Trayplants (these potted plants are programmed for bearing fruit and differentiated with four or five blossom buds), therefore in the same greenhouse there may be several harvests and although this means some important investments, they are still competitive.”
