In Spain, coming from a family of growers, Juan Antonio has been immersed in the world of agriculture his entire life. His parents were dedicated farmers, instilling in him a deep respect for the land and its produce. At the age of 21, Juan began his own journey as a grower, and for the past 20 years, he has devoted himself to cultivating zucchini.
To obtain better results, he has tried different zucchini varieties.
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What I value most about the Sakata team is that they know how to work with the grower, listening to our problems to offer varieties that solve them.
Juan Antonio
Zucchini farmer, Almeria, Spain
”
The challenges
Juan faced
Juan’s experience in zucchini farming has not been without its challenges.
One of the notable threats to his crops has been the New Delhi virus, which has significantly impacted zucchini plantations across the region. Some farmers have reported losing up to 40% of their production, with entire crops sometimes being affected. The virus poses a challenge for farmers like Juan in maintaining a stable and profitable yield.
In addition to managing the New Delhi virus, Juan worked to produce high-quality zucchini that met cooperative standards. Ensuring good quality and desirable characteristics is key to securing the best market prices.
This dual challenge of disease management and quality control added complexity to zucchini farming.
Juan’s fortunes improved when he was introduced to Sakata’s Kai F1 zucchini variety.
This variety is resistant to the New Delhi virus, allowing Juan to achieve high production levels with healthy plants.
Beyond disease resistance, the Kai F1 zucchini supports an extended growing cycle without compromising quality. This enables Juan to increase production over time, significantly boosting his profitability and strengthening his farming business.
The zucchinis are straight, dark, and ideally sized, making them highly attractive to buyers. Additionally, the variety is easy to handle and requires minimal labour, reducing costs and increasing Juan’s profitability.
Through his collaboration with Sakata, he has overcome significant challenges and achieved success.
Juan has worked closely with the Sakata team members for the past five years who provided their support and collaboration. Sakata’s approach to working with growers, listening to their problems, and providing tailored solutions has been key to Juan’s success.
The Kai F1 variety exemplifies this partnership, addressing the specific challenges faced by zucchini growers in the region.
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Sakata Vegetables Europe, a subsidiary of Sakata Seed Corporation (Japan), breeds, produces and markets high quality vegetable seeds for Europe, Middle East and Africa. It offers around 900 varieties of broccoli, tomato, squash, watermelon and cabbage to name a few.
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