Anka Çilek Fidesi
The most critical decision made in strawberry production is taken before the first spade even enters the soil: which variety. A wrongly chosen variety can waste a perfect soil preparation, a flawless irrigation programme and a season full of labour. Because the strawberry variety determines not only the flavour of the fruit but also when the harvest will begin, how long it will last, the fruit's durability and, most importantly, which market it can be sold to. At Anka Çilek Fidesi, this is the most important consultancy topic we have offered our growers for years.
First, Ask the Right Question: Where Will You Sell?
Variety selection should begin not with the climate but with the market. Is your goal to enter the fresh market early in the season and sell at a high price, or to supply the wholesale and processing markets with a steady harvest over a long period? The variety preference of a grower who wants an early and intense harvest is fundamentally different from that of a grower who wants to spread the season. That is why the first step is to clarify the production purpose.
Short-Day Varieties: The Power of an Intense and Early Harvest
Short-day varieties form flower buds during periods when day length shortens and temperatures fall. This characteristic makes them varieties that give an intense and concentrated harvest in a specific period. They are ideal for growers who want to enter the market early, benefit from the initial price advantage and concentrate labour into a specific period.
- Palmeritas, Leticia, Felicity: Varieties standing out with their balance of yield and fruit quality.
- Festival, Rubygem: Reliable choices with high durability and market recognition.
- Florida Beauty, Kallisti, Cleopatra: Alternatives responding to different climate and market expectations.
In temperate and warm regions, for those targeting an early harvest in protected production, short-day varieties are often the most sensible choice.
Day-Neutral Varieties: The Way to Spread the Season
Day-neutral varieties, on the other hand, continue to flower and fruit independently of day length, as long as suitable temperature conditions persist. This means spreading the production season across months, ensuring a continuous flow of fresh produce, and taking a long-period harvest in high-altitude or cool-summer climates.
- Albion: A variety accepted as a worldwide reference for its fruit quality and durability.
- Monterey, San Andreas: Strong options with high yield potential and a long season.
- Portola, Cabrillo: Suitable for those wanting a continuous flow of produce and steady supply to the market.
In highland regions with cool summers and in operations wishing to feed the fresh market throughout the season, day-neutral varieties come to the fore.
Do Not Underestimate the Climate Factor
The same variety behaves very differently in different climates. Temperature, day length, altitude and humidity directly affect flowering time, fruit size and flavour. That is why a variety that succeeds for your neighbour may not give the same result on your land. The right match is possible when the variety's genetic characteristics overlap with the real conditions of your land. Behind the varieties we offer at Anka lies a strong genetic infrastructure sourced from California (UC Davis), Florida, Spain and Berryplasma, and we evaluate these varieties under Turkey's conditions and guide our grower accordingly.
Do Not Make the Decision Alone
Variety selection is a technical subject and requires experience. At Anka Çilek Fidesi, we evaluate your land's climate, your target market and your production model together, and recommend a realistic and sustainable variety plan for you. A season that begins with the right variety ends with the right income. Contact Anka Çilek Fidesi today to clarify your variety choice and get to know our healthy, certified seedlings; base your decision not on guesswork but on expertise.
