The ARRA Programme is celebration its 10 year anniversary in Brazil and in this edition of the newsletter, we are delighted to bring you updates from the São Francisco Valley, where the ARRA Varieties’ producers are busy with the harvest of ARRA Sweeties™ and ARRA Yum!bo™. As a bonus, we are excited to share the great success of the mid-season red ARD 36 in Petrolina.
ARRA Sweeties is still the leading ARRA white selection in Brazil as it repeatedly produces great results. It is rain-resistant, reaches a good Brix, a high yield and performs remarkably in different weather conditions.
Russaika Nascimento, Technical Manager at Grapa Brazil reports: «The Brazilian growers in the Petrolina/Juazeiro area, started the year facing many challenges. Although precipitation reached over 1,000 mm, during the first semester, we are glad to see an outstanding crop among the farms. The quality of ARRA Sweeties™ this season went above and beyond our expectations».
Augusto Prado, President of Grapa Brazil, says: «Newton Matsumoto, Agronomist and ARRA Grower (Coana), pruned during the rainy period and the vines were consequently affected. Despite this challenge, the ARRA Sweeties’ vines delivered an impressive harvest. The production was good and the fruit shows an excellent berry size and Brix».
Ibatuba Farm, (Coopexvale) is also showing very good results despite a difficult start of the year due to the unfavourable weather in the area. The Grapa Brazil Team is happy to report that this season ARRA Sweeties’ production has a beautiful appearance, a delightful taste, and a good sugar-acid balance so the local and foreign market will enjoy one the best crops of ARRA Sweeties ever.
Amanda Rodrigues, Technical Manager at Grapa Brazil says: «Grapa Brazil is really proud of the new growers that this season produced ARRA Sweeties for the first time and achieved remarkable results».
Amanda concludes: «The success is due to the strategical planting time of the vines that resulted in pruning at the right moment therefore allowing the vines to rest and gather good reserves. Moreover, the Brazilian growers adhered to the protocol which is the key to securing high quality fruit».
Pedro Neiame, Partner at SF Fruits reports: “We are thrilled to work with Grapa and the ARRA Breeding Programme. We are getting all the technical support needed in the field, something that a new grower needs in order to prosper in the table grape business. Above all, the ARRA™ varieties have an amazing productive potential and they are high-quality grapes which is a must in order to reach commercial success.”
Helena Medeiros, Manager at Agrobras Agricola Tropical do Brasil / Best fruit farm, is proud of the team’s achievement and says: “The work done with ARRA Sweeties this season has been a fantastic surprise for us. The variety is easy to handle, has a spectacular response in terms of productivity and is of great quality!”
This season, great results are also seen with ARRA Yum!bo™. The Brazilian ARRA team is happy with what they have seen so far, stating that ARRA Yum!bo is a true winner in Brazil. This variety has attracted much interest among growers due to its many qualities: unique berry shape and size, fresh eating quality, shiny colour, high fertility, shorter growing cycle, as well as its ease of growing.
Cristhian Diaz, Export Sales Manager at Coopexvale, reports: «ARRA Yum!bo is already recognized and appreciated by our clients. It is the second consecutive year that the buyers are requesting this variety».
Mauricio Marques, General Manager at Frutos do Sol, declares: «ARRA Yum!bo is a variety with a completely different kind of crunchiness. It is an explosion of taste in the mouth. I am happy that the market is now able to experience this unique taste and texture».
The São Francisco Valley has been looking for a rain resistant red grape for a long time. This has recently been delivered by the ARRA Breeding Programme with the introduction of ARD 36 in Brazil.
The ARRA Brazil Team is focused on the success of ARD 36 which will be planted semi-commercially in Brazil very soon. The first harvest started this season in Coopexvale and Agrivale farms and more areas will soon be in production.
The Grapa Brazil Team love this variety and they all emphasize that its flavor, striking, shiny cherry colour and elongated berry, fascinate everyone who sees and tastes it.
The Brazilian growers are due to ship samples of ARD 36 to clients that fell in love with it during the ARRA Field Days in California as well as to those that had the pleasure to taste it two weeks ago at Fruit Attraction Madrid.
The Grapa Brazil Team is looking forward to seeing the future success of ARD 36, reporting that exporters and consumers are already recognizing its potential.
Cristhian Diaz, Export Sales Manager at Coopexvale, is a big fan of this variety and he highlights: «ARD 36, surely, showed a great post-harvest performance. The trial carried out by Coopexvale, showed the ability of ARD 36 to still look fresh and to preserve excellent eating qualities even after 45 days in cold storage». Cristhian concludes: «Needless to say that the feedback we received was very positive and encouraging».
Eliemerson Luiz de Freitas, Technical Manager at Agrivale, says: «ARD 36 is a fantastic red variety and will indeed have a grand future. It is incredibly fertile, has a good flavour and a striking colour. Another great introduction by the ARRA Breeding Programme».
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