Celebrating the 10 year anniversary of a commercial tomato variety is no easy task, since it implies not only that it has met the demands of the sector, but also that it has managed to become a reference in its segment. This has happened with the Jawara, a medium-sized tomato variety which was launched in 2006 in Almeria and which, ten years later, has become a must for tomato growers in Murcia and part of Almeria.
This was stated by María Carmen Gómez, head of sales of Syngenta in the area, who stressed that we should not only celebrate the launch of new varieties, which often then remain on the hard road to commercial success, but also give praise to noteworthy varieties, such as the Jawara, which after 10 years has demonstrated its good performance, high quality and commercial success.
According to David Bodas, head of relations with the food chain at Syngenta, one in every three tomatoes sold in Spain is medium-sized. Consumers look for a simple product, of good quality and colour, with a fair price and a good taste, i.e. all the characteristics that the Jawara has.
Syngenta breeders Anabel Hidalgo and Luis Ortega described the huge investment required for the development of a new variety like the Jawara, which until its market launch may need 10 years of development, with over 10,000 crosses between different varieties. According to Luis Ortega, the Jawara was developed initially for cultivation under cover in Almeria, for planting in late August, but it has eventually become more successful for mesh greenhouses in Murcia, for planting in July.
The Jawara stands out for its good performance in hot weather, its resistance to diseases, especially to the yellow leaf curl virus, and also for its high productivity and fruit quality. The Jawara offers everything consumers demand: a very homogeneous production of G and GG calibres, a nice red colour, firmness, a long shelf life and an excellent flavour, with a higher Brix level than average for its segment.
The event also served to present an award commemorating the 20 year anniversary of the Thomas, another tomato variety by Syngenta which is very appreciated in Murcia.
The Jawara and Thomas are a true reflection of the effort made by Syngenta in R&D to provide global solutions to producers for each crop, but adapted to local conditions in each area. Furthermore, these tomato varieties perfectly meet Syngenta's commitments, described in its Good Growth Plan, which is translating into the achievement of more efficient crops, increased productivity, the development of new varieties, the reduction of waste and the recovery of farmlands.