Fruitnet talks traits, development and consumption with José Antonio Chicón of Syngenta Vegetable Seeds
What has Syngenta’s pepper business been focusing on?
José Antonio Chicón: Because we’re a global company, we take the varieties we create in key areas and supply them to geographies around the world where trials show they are well suited. In Spain, for example, we focus our activities on how we can help producers worldwide with complete resistance packages – providing security for producers and consumers.
We’ve launched two new red California pepper varieties for the late-season segment, Spartanos and Yamato. These are focused on increasing the possibilities of harvesting before and after traditional dates, thereby extending harvest dates for growers and thus increasing production and profitability.
Extensive trialling shows our varieties work in countries including other Mediterranean nations and even into Asia. Once the similarities between the various markets, their specific needs, and our breeding programmes are established, hybrid creation is much more precise. We can be more precise because we have tools that allow us to select the genetics that increase the success rate, focused on meeting local needs.
We’re also researching new and innovative resistances for our commercial varieties to increase yield security and fruit quality for the growers.
What are the most valuable traits that your peppers offer growers, retailers and consumers?
JAC: Growers need to make money with their crops, so, generating hybrids that increase the production and/or concentrate it in the most desirable price window is key. Secondly, we need resistances protecting crops against pests and diseases. And finally, we develop friendly varieties that are easy to grow and less labour-intensive.
For retailers, the biggest concerns are uniformity and long shelf-life. So those traits are top of our list when selecting in our trials to give growers an advantage. By delivering what retailers are seeking, growers could see potentially better prices, consistent demand for their products, and the opportunity for greater profitability.
Consumers are focused on finding fresh products all season with the best quality, that are grown sustainably. So, our large portfolio of varieties allows growers to produce longer throughout the year, with multi-resistant hybrids that defend the crop against disease and pest pressure, to potentially reducing the reliance on other inputs.
How is the global pepper market performing?
JAC: Globally, vegetable markets are increasing. Consumers are more informed about the benefits of consuming fresh vegetables and peppers are very rich in vitamins. So, in many countries local production is changing to the cultivation of blocky peppers.
In developed markets like Spain, Mexico, or the Netherlands, the market is stable, and peppers are one of the more profitable crops for growers. And even in emerging markets we can see a rapid increase in production area.
