The VEGEPOLYS competitiveness cluster, the organisers of the SIVAL trade show, and fresh-produce magazine Réussir Fruits et Légumes of France have launched a major Europe-wide competition with the goal of encouraging varietal innovation in fresh produce. Open to all breeders of fruit and vegetables in Europe, the 2012 competition has rewarded Fleuron d’Anjou with the Gold Prize for its Melkior organically certified shallot seedlings. Melkior shallots will be exhibited on the VEGEPOLYS stand at Fruit Logistica in Berlin, between 8 and 10 February 2012.   VEGEPOLYS is the cluster of technological excellence in the plants sector that is based in Angers, in Western France. Its role is to promote innovation among businesses, research centres and training facilities in the plant market both in France and internationally, especially in terms of varietal innovation.   The Melkior shallot will be displayed on the VEGEPOLYS stand at the Fruit Logistica trade show, the world’s leading trade fair for fresh fruit and vegetables, which will take place in Berlin (Germany) from 8 to 10 February 2012.   Melkior shallots represent a genuine innovation in the vegetable species. The variety, which has been certified as organic, was created by Agri-Obtentions, a producer of innovative plant varieties. Melkior is the first shallot to be resistant to mildew, which is the main fungal parasite to attack leafy plants. This resistance to mildew is of importance both to amateur gardeners, who are wary of using pesticides due to their harmful effects, and to professional farmers, such as organic-shallot producers, who frequently experience severe problems as a result of mildew.   Seeking to satisfy gardening enthusiasts, Fleuron d’Anjou intends to multiply the initial Melkior seedlings, while remaining within the specifications of the AB guarantee (i.e. the French organic-farming certification), therefore moving the shallot further along the path to sustainable development.   The Melkior variety’s bulb is of the round, mid-length variety. It is firm, with a fairly dark colour and a shiny appearance. In terms of cultivation, it is planted in late February or early March, for an early July harvest. Its vegetation is quite powerful, which is conducive to good ripeness. Finally, the Melkior variety has a high dry-matter content and will keep until April or May, while remaining free of any preservatives, since it is organic.   The product is available to users as of 2012 in 500g string bags, bearing a tag indicating that is was grown organically and carrying the blue label from the Groupement National Interprofessionnel des Semences et Plants (or GNIS, the French Inter-professional Seed and Plant Association), which guarantees its varietal purity and its hygiene quality.   About Fleuron d’Anjou   Fleuron d’Anjou is one of the leading French companies specialising in the production and commercialisation of fruit and vegetables, along with flowers and plants.   The company will attend the Fruit Logistica trade show in Berlin (Germany) between 8 and 10 February 2012 (Hall 22, Booth C-13).   About VEGEPOLYS   VEGEPOLYS is a cluster of excellence that regroups plant companies and leading expert organisations from Pays-de-la-Loire (in Western France), such as INRA (the French National Institute for Agricultural Research), Agrocampus Ouest INHP (the Institute for Life, Food, Horticultural Sciences and Landscaping), and Angers University. As part of VEGEPOLYS, lead agencies play an important role, including the Angers CPVO (Community Plant Variety Office), for registering varieties onto the European catalogue.   VEGEPOLYS develops projects that take into account current and expected changes in society worldwide, which means that it favours the development of environmentally friendly plant varieties that contribute towards human wellbeing. More particularly, VEGEPOLYS covers issues such as plant-variety innovation; the sanitary quality of seeds and plants; and, also, the design and development of urban and suburban landscapes.   VEGEPOLYS will be present at the Fruit Logistica trade show in Berlin (Germany) from 8 to 10 February 2012. It will showcase the Melkior shallot on its stand (Hall 22, Booth B-06) at the event.   For further information about Réussir Fruits et Légumes, please go to: http://www.reussirfl.com/     For further information about SIVAL, please go to: http://www.sival-angers.com/     For further information about Fruit Logistica, please go to: http://www.fruitlogistica.de/en/   For further information about Fleuron d’Anjou, please go to: http://www.fleurondanjou.fr/     For further information about VEGEPOLYS, please go to: www.vegepolys.eu  

ARIANE is a unique variety of apple that is resistant to apple scab, which enables growers to reduce the use of chemical products in the apple orchard by half. The ARIANE apple, developed by French company Pomalia, will be available for tasting at Fruit Logistica 2012, the international fresh-produce trade show to be held in Berlin (Germany) from 8 to 10 February.  “Creating a new variety of apple is crucial, but it is not enough. It is also necessary to make it known and to establish its legitimacy within a sustainable economic approach. As the outcome of a truly progress-oriented approach, the ARIANE apple finds its strength in a network involving 15 nurserymen, 250 producers and six distributors,” explains Philippe Massardier, Chairman of Pomalia. ARIANE will be showcased at the Fruit Logistica 2012 trade fair in Berlin (Germany) between 8 and 10 February 2012 (in Hall 22, Stand F-05). It is distributed by Blue Whale, Castang, Edenys, Sicodis, BVL and Loire ALIA. The ARIANE apple was created in 2001 at the Institut National de Recherche Agronomique of Angers (the National Institute of Agronomic Research, in western France), as a result of 65 years of R&D; it was obtained by natural crossbreeding.  Since the start of its commercialisation in 2003, ARIANE has increasingly gained the favour of consumers, with consumption rising year on year. In 2011, 20,000 tons of ARIANE apples were produced and distributed.  ARIANE is now grown by 250 producers across six key production areas in France: the Berry region (in central France), the Loire Valley (in western France), the Monts du Lyonnais (to the east of central France), the Périgord and Tarn & Garonne (in south-western France), and Provence (in south-eastern France).   In the world of fruit-tree cultivation, ARIANE is considered by many to constitute the most important technical advance of the last 20 years. Its high quality of presentation, taste and preservation differentiates it markedly from the other red and two-coloured apples on the market. Picked from the end of September, it is the first large-consumption apple to possess a natural resistance to apple scab, i.e. to the Venturia inaequalis fungus. Apple scab is one of the principal diseases of the apple tree, to which all commercial apple varieties are susceptible, and the reason for around half of phytosanitary orchard treatments. Therefore, ARIANE’s natural resistance to the fungus makes possible a 50% cut in the use of chemicals for orchard treatments. Cultivating an apple that requires a considerably reduced use of pesticides is an important advance from the consumer’s standpoint. Reconciling food safety and environmental concerns, the producers of ARIANE are among the first to be engaged in a voluntary approach to sustainable and efficient apple production. Less treated and with recognised gustatory qualities, the ARIANE apple is particularly appreciated by the public. Having conquered the hearts of the French, it is now landing on the shelves of retail outlets across Britain, and will certainly not leave the consumers indifferent. The ARIANE apple is described as a gourmet product. It is sweet, acidic, firm, crunchy and juicy, leaving a sparkling taste in the mouth that defines an authentic flavour. It is a two-coloured fruit, which combines a deep, bright red skin with yellow lenticels. The ARIANE apple marries elegance with rusticity: a recognised champion at tastings, it has charmed consumers, who appreciate its indisputable quality. Another attractive feature of ARIANE is the fact that the apple preserves very well, retaining the same fresh taste from October to May. “Through Pomalia, all have chosen to master the development and promotion of this variety with recognised qualities. Behind ARIANE, above all, there are territories, men and women who are participating in the development of this apple of the future and who have made the choice of a demanding variety, and of a real commitment to a better form of production. With good gustatory and innovative qualities, ARIANE is an alternative to the other varieties present on our shelves. It must become a qualitative line for the consumer,” explains Philippe Massardier. About ARIANE The ARIANE apple was developed by natural crossbreeding in 2001 at the Institut National de Recherche Agronomique of Angers (the National Institute of Agronomic Research in Angers, in western France), as a result of 65 years of R&D. In 2011 20,000 tons of ARIANE apples were produced. The ARIANE apple is marketed by Blue Whale, Castang, Edenys, Sicodis, BVL and Loire ALIA. ARIANE will be present at the Fruit Logistica 2012 trade fair in Berlin (Germany) between 8 and 10 February 2012 (in Hall 22, Stand F-05). For further information about Fruit Logistica, please go to: http://www.fruitlogistica.de/en/ For further information about ARIANE, please go to: http://www.pomme-ariane.com/en/

The Nord-Pas-de-Calais region (in northern France) will host the Welcome to Northern France pavilion at FRUIT LOGISTICA 2012. The trade show, dedicated to the fresh-produce sector, will take place from 8 to 10 February 2012 at the Messe Berlin exhibition centre in the German capital and is expected to welcome 56,000 visitors from over 130 countries. The 400m² Welcome to Northern France pavilion (in Hall 22, Booth F14) will host 17 French companies presenting their region’s fresh produce or their packaging/logistics know-how. The Nord-Pas-de-Calais region offers many benefits to businesses, including its prime location, close to Brussels, London and Paris. (The Eurostar journey from London to Lille takes 90 minutes.) Nord-Pas-de-Calais ranks third among French food-growing regions, with the sector’s turnover set to reach €11.5 billion in 2011. A third of all potatoes produced in France are grown in the region, which ranks first nationally for endives, second for onions, and third for cauliflowers, in terms of volumes produced. Among the new features on the Nord–Pas-de-Calais pavilion will be T&B Vergers’ new Quality Guarantee, which ensures full traceability of fruit from the place of production to its dispatch through the channels of distribution. Verduyn will introduce its two new packaging modes — in punnets or in P-Plus packages of more than a kilo — as well as a new range of knife-peeled carrots. Bayard Distribution will present its upscale brand of potatoes and introduce a new microwavable package, and NEGONOR will showcase a new range of organic potatoes for making chips or mash. To enhance the visitor experience on the pavilion, there will also be a daily showcase by a chef using produce from the Nord–Pas-de-Calais region. The full list of exhibitors on the Welcome to Northern France pavilion is as follows. Further information is available on the websites that have been listed and can also be provided upon request. Agrochange is a potato brokerage company which works with over 600 producers in France ( www.agrochange.com ). Bayard Distribution, already mentioned, produces and distributes potatoes ( www.bayard-distribution.com ). Olivier Négoce is a potato trading specialist ( www.oliviernegoce.fr ), and Condilys, for its part, has been trading in potatoes since 2003. Lucas Lemaire is a   family-run company trading in potatoes and onions ( www.lucaslemaire.com ). NEGONOR ( www.negonor.com ), already mentioned, and Verpom ( www.verpom.com ) are both specialists in potatoes and onions. Wecxsteen is a company that is also active in the potato market in northern France ( www.groupe-wecxsteen.com ). Perle du Nord has been a specialist in endives for the past 20 years ( www.perledunord.com ), whereas T&B Vergers, already mentioned, trades in (and packages) both apples and pears ( www.tbvergers.fr ). Verduyn, mentioned above in this press release, prepares fresh vegetables ( www.verduyn.fr ), while Wostin is a bean-sprout specialist ( www.wostin.fr ). For its part, PICVERT produces, packages and markets baby leaves for a range of salads ( www.picvert.info ). Klim Top Controls provides refrigerating equipment ( www.klimtop.eu ), while Dunfresh, which is based in the port of Dunkirk, specialises in temperature-controlled warehousing and logistics         ( http://www.conhexa.com/dunfresh_eng.htm ). The Nord-Pas-de-Calais pavilion will also showcase the Port of Dunkirk, the second most important French port for trade with Britain ( www.portdedunkerque.fr ), as well as Agence Maritime Rommel PLC, an expert in international logistics based in northern France ( www.amragency.com ). About Nord-Pas-de-Calais The Nord-Pas-de-Calais region will host the Welcome to Northern France pavilion at FRUIT LOGISTICA 2012 at the Messe Berlin exhibition centre, in Berlin (Germany), from 8 to 10 February 2012. The pavilion will be situated in Hall 22, Booth F14. A comprehensive exhibitor catalogue is available upon request from Ms Katherine Woods, Press Officer, or from the Welcome to Northern France pavilion. For further information about Fruit Logistica 2012, please go to: http://www.fruitlogistica.de/en/ For further information about Nord-Pas-de-Calais, please go to: www.cci-international.net