Two new cherries are introduced in Canada's Okanagan Valley, developed by the sweet cherry breeding program at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Summerland. The Sansia and Safirah cherries will be marketed and sold by World Fresh Exports, based in Lake Country, BC.
The Sansia and Safirah are dark, sweet cherries. The Sansia series includes two mid-season varieties, while Safirah includes two late-season varieties. A fifth variety is yet to be named. World Fresh has been authorised to market five varieties.
© Summerland’s Agriculture
The rollout is being managed by Summerland Varieties Corp., the global master licensee for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
Sarah Bistritz said, "This is an incredibly exciting moment for us. These cherries represent the very best of Canadian breeding and production, and we can't wait to share them with our global customers."
Nick Ibuki said, "These new cherries continue a remarkable Canadian breeding tradition. World Fresh has an outstanding reputation for marketing premium cherries, so we're delighted to see them introducing these exceptional new varieties to global markets as an authorized marketer."
Bistritz added: "Our customers are looking for cherries that deliver on every level—size, flavour, firmness, consistency, and timing. Sansia and Safirah check all of those boxes. They're remarkable cherries, grown by World Fresh's best Canadian producers, and we're thrilled to be taking them to the world."
Source: Castanet
