"Israel: New strawberry variety "Barak"
Designated as "Barak" variety, Dr. Nir Dai from the ARO, the research arm of the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the new variety distinguishes itself from older varieties in several ways, especially for its excellent uniform fruit qualities.
“The Barak has very uniform fruit and prolonged shelf life” said Dai. “The aroma is different, and it has a shiny deep red color.” The strawberry also has a sweet flavor with a brix level around nine. By contrast, some Californian varieties have a brix level in the seven-and-a-half range.
The fruit is licensed to growers around the world, and it currently under trial in Florida and South Africa, although Dai noted it can also be grown in places like Greece, Cyprus Morocco and Spain and similar subtropical environments. Domestically, it enjoys 12 to 15 percent of the market in Israel. Dai noted that, because it's a new strawberry, they have to educate people about it.
“We have breeding programs that are running continuously,” he said, “So, we are always looking for better varieties with minor disadvantages. Barak cultivar is new, and it can have more of a worldwide distribution, but we just have to learn a little more how to market it.”
For more information:
Dr. Nir Dai
nirdai@agri.gov.il