A group of 18 Spanish grape exporters have stepped up research and development of indigenous varieties.
The companies have combined under the banner ITUM, which has been operating in Murcia since September 2002 and is now funded to the tune of euro 200,000 a year by the private and public sectors.
Dr Juan Carreño Espín of ITUM, pictured, has so far overseen the planting of 10,000 separate hybrids. “We are still in the very early days of the programme,” he said. “But the rate of progress will increase with every year. Of course the growers want to see results as quickly as possible, but they are fully aware of what is happening and we expect to see the first new patented Spanish varieties in three or four seasons.”
The companies involved in the project, which covers 80 per cent of the Murcian grower network, will have the exclusive rights to produce and market any varieties that are patented through the scheme.
“The eventual aim is to decrease the Spanish growers’ dependence on foreign varieties,” said Espín. “But it is not just an exercise in where the grapes come from. We are looking to meet the specific requirements of the marketplace; to fill the gaps that exist in the seedless grape calendar.“
Producers that are not already on board can still join the ITUM project.
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