Semillas Fitó launches Harbest pepper seal

Spain’s Semillas Fitó has launched a new seal that groups together industrial pepper varieties that stand out for their ease of harvesting.

“‘Harbest – The best way for harvesting’ was born with a clear objective: to make harvesting easier for farmers without sacrificing crop quality or yield,” the company said. “At a time when labour shortages and rising costs directly affect farm profitability, having varieties that streamline this phase of the production cycle is a key competitive advantage.”

In regions such as Extremadura, Castilla-La Mancha, Andalusia, and Navarre, the production of industrial peppers is extensive. Harbest is designed to respond to a growing demand from the sector for varieties adapted to more efficient mechanical or manual harvesting, which also maintain the quality standards required by the processing industry.

“With Harbest, we want to highlight the work we have been doing for years to develop varieties with excellent agronomic performance, but which also facilitate key tasks such as harvesting,” said project manager Pedro Bautista. “It’s not just about producing more but also doing so in a more profitable and sustainable way for the farmer.”

Currently, the seal is applied to industrial pepper varieties, specifically selected for characteristics such as having fruits that detach easily and uniformly, compact plants with good leaf cover and fruit concentration, high percentages of fruits of the same colour and adaptability to mechanical harvesting, without loss of quality.

These qualities not only improve harvesting efficiency but also contribute to better planning of field work and savings in labour costs, two decisive factors for the success of agricultural campaigns.

The new seal is Semillas Fitó’s latest initiative to add value to the value chain, from producer to end consumer. “We don’t innovate for the sake of innovation, but to make farmers’ daily lives easier and their production more profitable,” Bautista said.