Claude Janin took over the Terre et Serre Genevoises family business with his brother a few years ago. The farm grows tomatoes, cucumbers, snack cucumbers, eggplants, Palermo peppers, lettuce, parsley, cereals, and also Mara des Bois strawberries, which have just come into season.
An eagerly-awaited start to the season
"The first volumes of Mara were harvested 1.5 weeks ago, arriving just in time for the Easter festivities," explains Claude Janin. Once again this year, the variety was eagerly awaited even before the beginning of spring. "We have been growing Mara des Bois strawberries since 2000, when we created a specific market for this strawberry. Our clients are actively looking for it, and they are always delighted when it arrives. They usually start asking for it in February. It is a very special and very popular variety, which is why we continue to grow it."
A variety that presents its share of production challenges
Despite this success, production areas on the farm are shrinking in favor of other varieties that are easier to grow. "We used to produce three times as much as we do today, but we are gradually moving towards new varieties such as Magnum or Favori, which are more robust and less difficult to grow. The Mara has the disadvantage of being fragile and labor-intensive, requiring many hours of production. Its quality depends on a large number of factors and varies from year to year and from period to period, which can sometimes be particularly worrying. One grower I know stopped growing Mara altogether in favor of other varieties to be able to sleep at night, which shows the difficulties associated with this crop."
A promising season despite some uncertainties
Although it is still too early to make any precise predictions for the season, everything looks in place for a good start. "There was a significant delay at one point due to a major lack of light. At the time, we thought we would start the season late, but in the end, we had a string of fine days, which sped up the ripening process. In terms of size and productivity, we will probably be above average, although we may not be as good as the last two years, which were really exceptional. We are satisfied with the quality harvested so far, and consumption is quite dynamic thanks to the nice weather. We hope the situation will not take a sharp turn, as 27°C is expected in Geneva at the end of the week."
Marketing mainly through UMG
In terms of marketing, Terre et Serre Genevoises sells its production exclusively in Switzerland, via direct sales, small market retailers, and supermarkets. "Sales are made through the UMG cooperative, the main source of distribution for the company, and one of only two cooperatives in Switzerland, which celebrated its 75th anniversary last year."
For more information:
Claude Janin
Terre et Serre Genevoises
[email protected]