ARRA Varieties 10 years anniversary in Brazil
Augusto Prado, President of Grapa Brazil would like to summarize for our readers the journey of the ARRA Programme in Brazil: “After 10 years of producing ARRA Sweeties in the São Francisco Valley, it is essential to reflect on the importance of this variety for the Brazilian growers. Without a doubt, ARRA Sweeties, where the old varieties like Thompson and Crimson no longer “paid the bills”, allowed the growers to gain financial benefits”.
Augusto continues: “We went from an initial average yearly productivity of 22 tons per hectare to an almost double 38 tons per hectare. The crucial resistance to rain and the advantage of two harvests a year, made ARRA Sweeties an irreplaceable variety. Today we have more than 1200 ha of ARRA Sweeties planted in the São Francisco Valley and we have managed to reach the most demanding markets. Achieving a Brix ratio above 17° and acidity close to 0.8, guarantee an amazing flavour, making ARRA Sweeties the queen of the white grapes in Brazil”.
Augusto adds: “Following this same mode of action, we will be launching ARD 36, which will undoubtedly be the queen of red grapes in Brazil. ARD 36 has a good resistance to rain and its colour develops naturally without the need for any colouring agents. With a Brix above 20°and acidity less than 0.8, the flavour of this variety is exceptional . This is the start of an even brighter future for the table grape industry in Brazil.
Augusto concludes: “It is a great pleasure for me to be part of the Grapa Brazil Team and to be part of the ARRA Programme that will continue to make a difference for their licensees!”.
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This variety has large, elongated, intense cherry-coloured berries. With excellent sugar-acid balance, cherry flavour and sensational crunch, ARD 36 CHERRY CRUSH™ is a variety that delights in appearance, taste and eating experience. Proven to be fully rain resistant, the variety also has excellent fertility and exceptional storage ability. It is the ultimate long shipping variety with the best shelf life in the industry. CHERRY CRUSH™ has it all!
Discover the ultimate red variety with ARD 35 – FIRE CRUNCH™. This early-mid variety boasts a unique fire-red colour and crunchy, large berries with a low acid level and well-balanced taste that provide a supreme eating quality. It’s a fertile and easy-to-grow variety with full uniform colour that stays red on the vine, and doesn’t get dark over time, making harvest timing very flexible. This variety also withstands rain and offers unparalleled hanging ability, cold storage capability and shelf-life capacity.
This early red seedless variety offers an exceptional eating quality. It has large, crunchy berries, a medium sized bunch and boasts an excellent natural, full, deep red colour. Although it ripens at the same time as Flame, ARRA Passion Fire surpasses its early counterpart in all other parameters. Good productivity, extraordinary hanging ability, shipping durability and shelf life make it a choice early red.
This very early red variety with its large, sweet berries, ripens naturally 10 days before Flame. The striking full red colour, together with extreme crunch and harmonious flavour make this red a must-have variety. Fire Kiss has proven to be very fertile and grower friendly, as well as bearing great post-harvest and shipping qualities.