As a long-standing player in varietal selection, Bejo has established itself as a benchmark in the cabbage market, thanks to a well-structured, comprehensive range covering all segments, from the fresh to the processing market. The seed company has sought to meet the expectations of a wide variety of growers, while anticipating the agronomic and economic challenges of the future.
© Bejo
A wide, segmented range
"Bejo's cabbage range stands out for its breadth and structure," explains Maxime Viel, carrot and cabbage product manager. The range is structured around 15 major families, themselves broken down into sub-families to meet very specific uses. This organization enables us to cover all markets, from fresh to processing.
White cabbage is an emblematic example. "It is available for the fresh market as well as for long-term storage, ready meals, and sauerkraut." This fine segmentation is "a real asset in supporting growers with solutions that are perfectly suited to their technical and commercial objectives."
© Bejo White cabbage, Expectation variety
A range to suit all grower profiles
With "one of the most comprehensive cabbage ranges among European seed companies," Bejo caters to a wide variety of farms. "Our varieties meet the needs of highly specialized growers, in white cabbage for conservation, for example, as well as those of structured industrial growers." The range also caters to green belt growers and those wishing to diversify their crop rotation, in particular with crops such as Chinese cabbage or kohlrabi. This diversity is based on "a particularly extensive production calendar," incorporating very early varieties as well as conservation varieties, in order to "secure harvests throughout the season."
© Bejo Pointed cabbage, Caraflex variety
A historic crop at the heart of Bejo's identity
Cabbage occupies "a central place in Bejo's history and business." This historic and strategic crop has helped to build the seed company's reputation. "The creation of the first cabbage hybrids did much to raise Bejo's profile and establish its credibility in the world of vegetables." Today, this legitimacy is reflected in "strong recognition from growers," who identify the company as "a benchmark player in cabbage breeding," thanks in particular to its ability to offer regular innovations, especially in resistance to diseases.
© Bejo Savoy cabbage, Cantasa variety
Recognized expertise and a global approach
Bejo's expertise is based on "coherence between variety selection, technical support, and in-depth market knowledge." As a result, the company offers "a very comprehensive range, covering all earliness levels and all markets." This expertise is also backed up by dedicated teams trained in the specific characteristics of cabbage crops, and by "recognized reliability of supply." Present on both conventional and organic markets, Bejo has distinguished itself as a pioneer in the latter segment, with "a complete range of cabbages adapted to organic production," guaranteeing traceability and quality.
Varieties renowned for their reliability
Certain varieties in particular illustrate the seed company's philosophy, such as Korist for kohlrabi and Caraflex for pointed cabbage. "These two varieties are now grown throughout France in a wide variety of soil and climate conditions. They offer great flexibility of use, in terms of both planting and harvesting dates, and above all provide the reliability sought after by growers, whether specialists or generalists." Other varieties, such as Expectation and Cantasa, especially for organic production, stand out for their hardiness. "They retain their potential even in difficult weather conditions or when cabbages have to cope with severe agronomic constraints, such as high disease pressure or poor and tired soils. These qualities make them particularly reassuring varieties in the current climate." These qualities have become essential in an increasingly uncertain production context.
© Bejo Kohlrabi, Korist variety
Variety development at the heart of agricultural challenges
Variety development for cabbage is part of a forward-looking approach. "It is based first and foremost on careful observation of markets to identify shortages, changes in usage, and new outlets. It also involves constantly listening to producers, not only to meet their current needs, but also to anticipate those of tomorrow, with a ten-year projection."
The main challenges include adapting to extreme weather conditions and soils that are often tired from a lack of rotation, requiring "very hardy varieties that can adapt to difficult conditions." Labor shortages also make it necessary to develop varieties that are compatible with mechanical harvesting and adapted to the requirements of industrial processes.
Finally, seed production itself is a major challenge. "Varieties must guarantee yield, stability, and regularity of quality to ensure continuity of supply and avoid any disruption to the end consumer. It is this global vision, from breeding to the supply chain, that guides the work of variety creation at Bejo."
For more information:
Maxime Viel
Bejo
[email protected]
Phone: +33 (0) 6 81 46 44 43
