Breeder believes FCM14-057 has the potential to become a market leader in the January to May window in EMEA
Berry breeder Fall Creek used its recent Field + Forum event in Seville to showcase a new blueberry variety that it claims could be a gamechanger for Mediterranean growers.
First released in 2023, FCM14-057 is a zero and low chill variety known for its “exceptional productivity and shelf-life”. According to the company, the fruit maintains firmness and overall quality for 45 days postharvest, with yield potential for more than 20 tonnes per hectare during the second year of production (based on 4,500 plants per hectare in Spain).
“The plant has an upright shape and improved harvest efficiency – making it an excellent option to meet increased market demand for high quality fruit with greater productivity per area,” the breeder said.
“We believe it will be a gamechanger in the growing season, not only in Spain, but also in Morocco, Turkey, and Egypt,” Félix Blázquez, grower support representative for Fall Creek in Iberia, told visitors to the event.
Since its release, FCM14-057 has been available to strategic growers to validate its performance in areas with low chilling requirements and, simultaneously, position it in the market before its mass launch. The company said it expects to double sales compared to last year, especially in northern and southern Morocco and in Huelva.
Over 60 per cent of the variety’s fruit exceeds 18mm. Together with its firmness and flavour, Blázquez said “it will change what’s currently available on the market in the January-May window in terms of quality”.
The variety has undergone a three-year pre-market validation strategy, with production limited to a small group of farmers, and from October it will be available through Fall Creek’s royalty system.
