© Blaser Obst GmbHA new apple variety called Delcored has recently become available in the Lake Constance region. Last year, this red-skinned variety, bred in France, was planted for the first time on three hectares. The first, modest marketing volumes from regional cultivation met with a positive response from retailers in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, reports Andreas Blaser, managing director of the fruit-growing operation of the same name with an attached marketing division in Meckenbeuren.
Right: Blooming season at the Delcored orchard of Obsthof Blaser.
Blaser grows pome fruit on a total of approximately 120 hectares and markets both his own produce and goods from selected fruit growers in the region. "Accordingly, we are very familiar with the interests of the producer, but also with those of the trade," he says. Blaser Obst GmbH is collaborating with Stargroup, the French license holder for the variety, with the goal of gradually expanding the cultivation in the Lake Constance region over the coming years and coordinating the marketing of the yields from the participating orchards. The primary focus is on food retailers and wholesale markets.
High-performing in cultivation and distribution
According to Blaser, this new variety is perfectly suited for modern fruit-growing operations. "It exhibits excellent resistance to scab, meaning that, ultimately, the fruit grower saves on pesticides and reduces overall costs. Furthermore, the variety is very robust, which is particularly important in light of climate change and the resulting extreme weather conditions. Moreover, the fruits grow predominantly uniformly, which in turn contributes to higher net yields and lower harvesting costs in the overall calculation."
The variety performs very well not only from the producer's perspective but also in retail, Blaser notes, citing feedback and results to date. "It has high firmness and magnificent storage life, which is why, in my view, it is ideally suited for late marketing, meaning well into July/August. It also has a modern flavor profile with a balanced sweet-acid ratio that meets consumer preferences." The apples are generally medium to large in size, the fruit grower and marketer continues.
© G. Gallmetzer
Delcored under protective netting (not on the Blaser farm)
Blaser is convinced of the future potential of the Delcored variety. "I don't see the variety as a supplement, but as a future cornerstone of our variety portfolio." He points to the difficult conditions currently facing the apple sector. "Apart from the challenges in cultivation, consumption in Germany has been on a downward trend for years. The pie is getting smaller, so to speak, and shelf space is becoming even more limited due to the multitude of varieties. However, I am convinced that with Delcored we have found a competitive variety that is also well-suited to local climatic conditions."
© G. Gallmetzer
Delcored in trial cultivation
Planned expansion of acreage
Interest among growers is already promising, Blaser notes with satisfaction. "We will now expand cultivation capacity on our farm from three to ten hectares. Colleagues in the region have also already shown interest in growing Delcored, so we plan to increase the acreage gradually and thus the production volume in the coming years. It was also our explicit wish not to make the concept as rigid as is often the case with club apples. This means that growers who want to participate in the cultivation may also sell a certain portion on their own, for example, through direct marketing," he concludes.
For more information:
Andreas Blaser
Blaser Obst GmbH
Senglingen 6
88074 Meckenbeuren
Tel.: +49 (0) 7542 951 480
[email protected]
www.blaser-obst.de
Stargroup / Starfruits
Georg Gallmetzer
Contact Germany / DACH
T: +49 (0) 03933 86361025
[email protected]
https://star-fruits.com/en/
