This week the highlight is on Chile, where the ARRA harvest is in full swing. We will be reporting on the ARRA Field Day where ARRA Honey Pop™ was introduced to the Chilean growers.
For the first time, ARRA Honey Pop™ grapes were introduced to the Chilean producers and the comments received were very positive. The Grapasa Team, ARRA Agent in South America, with the great support of Nuevavid Nursery held a field day in Chile focusing on this very early variety. The event took place last week in Rengo, region VI, approximately 120 km south of Santiago. Despite the restrictions still in place due to Covid-19, the growers were divided into groups and managed to attend and enjoy the event.
Karl Conrads, Grapasa CEO and ARRA Agent in South America says: “We believe that ARRA Honey Pop is a very good choice for the growers due to its early harvest time. Chilean growers are greatly affected by the drought, so the ability to achieve very good quality grapes, using 50% less water compared to late varieties is a considerable advantage”. Karl concludes: “In addition, this variety offers the growers the option to start their season earlier and therefore able to compete with late varieties from earlier areas, such as those from northern Chile or Peru”.
Sergio Urzua, Field Manager of Agricola El Alamo de Naicura Dos, reports:” This is our second year of commercial production of ARRA Passion Fire. The berries reached a very good diameter between 25-27 mm. The fruit is crunchy with a good and meaty flesh”.
Located in the South of Santiago close to Quinta de Tilcoco, Agricola El Alamo de Naicura Dos is one week away from harvesting ARRA Passion Fire™.
Pablo Johow, Managing Partner at Agricola Campos Sudamericanos is satisfied with this season ARRA Passion Fire harvest and says: “Despite the crop having suffered from frost at the beginning of spring, we managed to have a good season with a production of 3,200 boxes per hectare (8.2 Kg) of ARRA Passion Fire and of very good quality”.
We would like to send hearty thanks to the Grapasa and Nuevavid teams for kindly hosting the latest field day and for their continued support of the ARRA program in Chile and we wish all our Chilean growers a great ARRA harvest season and we thank them for the beautiful pictures and updates.
Don’t miss out on these other newsletters:
We have a crush on this intense cherry-colour variety with its large, elongated, berries. This mid-late variety that boasts excellent sugar-acid balance, cherry flavour and sensational crunch, 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.
ARRA CHERRY CRUSH™ literally has it all!
In short: THE ULTIMATE RED.
This established early red variety boasts a beautiful, natural, full red colour. It’s large, crunchy berries offer a fantastic eating quality. Good productivity, extraordinary hanging ability, shipping durability and shelf life, make it a choice early red.
The earliest existing red variety in the market ripens naturally 4-5 days before Flame. The advantageous short cycle, natural full red colour, together with large, sweet, crunchy berries make this a perfect Flame replacement. ARRA Fire Kiss has proven to be very fertile and grower friendly, as well as bearing great post-harvest and shipping qualities.