Organic cherries are seasonal fruit in high demand with a large market potential. After successfully finishing the first phase of the project (2011 to 2014), the Swiss cultivation area amounted to 14 hectares. The amount delivered to trade was 31 tonnes. Yield security and fruit quality was increased significantly.
Due to some new plantations and the fruits' high appeal in direct sale, the amount delivered to trade is not yet sufficient. The reliable project approach of advice, research and communication is supposed to close the supply gap with specific measures in a second project phase.
The aims of the second project phase are:
Different new, sometimes also old cultivars of sweet (30) and sour cherry (12), and of plum (14) are tested for their suitability for organic production. Since 1998 experiments are carried out in cooperation with Agroscope Wädenswil at the Stone Fruit Centre in Wintersingen. The first phase experiment with sweet cherries at Wintersingen was grubbed in 2013. Since 2006, sweet cherry cultivars are also tested at the location at Frick. There, the cultivars are tested with and without a rain protection roof.
Project management
