Nunhems invited the growers who will be cultivating FOUNDATION in the coming season, to this event. After the remarkable start, with more than 80 hectares dedicated to this tomato in The Netherlands and Belgium, Nunhems wants to work together with the growers to continue the outstanding success of this variety.
Click here for a factsheet on Foundation
For many of the tomato growers, this was their first introduction to Nunhems. Wim Vertommen, from the company Den Overkant in Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-Waver in Belgium, said that the meeting was "a solid, professional initiative on the part of Nunhems. Their open attitude, which allowed us to see how things work on the inside and to discuss with them the points which require attention when cultivating FOUNDATION, made the day a big success."
Geert Koot, from the company Koot BV in Poeldijk, The Netherlands, said that he noticed FOUNDATION in April because of the early production and high quality. "The variety's vigour is very good throughout the year. The weight is something that needs some attention, but we're going to tackle that by adapting the cultivation. I'm going to make use of the technical cultivation advice we received today. It was a unique meeting at a unique location."
Michel ten Hacken, Nunhems Global Head of Sales and Marketing, welcomed the growers to the event. "Nunhems has a clear picture of the high-tech tomato market and has all the expertise necessary to take a leading position. We want to be a reliable partner for our high-tech tomato growers, just like we are in other tomato sectors."
Coert Engels, High-Tech Tomato Breeder, discussed Nunhems' advanced knowledge of tomatoes and the specific starting points in his high-tech breeding program. He illustrated the extensive selection process which varieties undergo at Nunhems before they are finally put on the market. He also presented an overview of the Nunhems tomato varieties which are currently in the final trial phase for the various high-tech tomato sectors.
After the presentation and lunch many tomato growers joined the tour of the seed processing and quality assurance facilities.
Harm Ammerlaan, High-Tech Tomato Sales Specialist with Nunhems, discussed the experiences and test results for FOUNDATION from the past season. The vine tomato, which is oidium-resistant, stood out in all test locations because of its high production in comparison with standard varieties. The strong green parts contribute to the good quality and shelf life of the final product. For many growers in The Netherlands and Belgium, these results formed the basis for their well-considered choice to grow FOUNDATION.
During this event, the particular points of attention for this variety, for the coming season were discussed; and together with Frank Florus of Lycopersicon, the cultivation techniques for the FOUNDATION variety were discussed in detail.
Nunhems will organize more technical cultivation and themed gatherings in the future for Nunhems high-tech tomato variety growers.
For more information please contact:
- Harm Ammerlaan, Sales Specialist Tomatoes
E-mail: harm.ammerlaan@bayer.com - Veronique Savelkoul, Sales Specialist Tomatoes
E-mail: veronique.savelkoul@bayer.com