A programme of production investment across Europe, backed by a concerted promotional campaign, is expected to yield positive results for red apple variety CIVG198, which is marketed as Modì.
The variety, which was developed in Italy by Ferrara-based Consorzio Italiano Vivaisti, is underpinned by a production and marketing system that involves the entire supply chain from nursery to point of sale.
Modì was introduced to the European market in 2008 and is already said to be achieving positive results thanks to the specific quality parameters of the product and the efficiency of its marketing.
According to Herbert Knuppen, managing director of the Modì Europe Consortium, which is responsible for the apple’s licensing, quality standards and marketing, the new variety has been developed as an alternative to Red Delicious, the difference being it can be grown using environmentally sound production methods.
The aim is for each of the organisation’s member producers to establish at least 80ha of Modì production within three years of activity. By 2012, the forecast is that more than 9,200 tonnes of the club variety will be available.
'Modì allows the grower to reduce the number of phytosanitary treatments to a minimum and to obtain very low residue levels,' says Mr Knuppen. 'It therefore responds to the demands of the modern consumer, who has become more sensitive to environmental problems and product safety.'
A natural cross between Gala and Liberty, the CIVG198 variety was first developed in 1982 and, according to Mr Knuppen has huge commercial potential as it can be harvested a week earlier than Golden Delicious while displaying high yield and good resistance to disease.
'Modì is of great interest to the global apple industry because it promises to replace the by now obsolete Red Delicious, which up until now has been one of the most important apples worldwide but which is diminishing in popularity because of its falling organoleptic qualities,' he says.
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