To gain access to many of our chosen export markets, Caithness varieties will have to go through rigorous trials and selection processes both at home and then abroad to identify their suitability, then hopefully their superiority over established varieties.

Sometimes it takes time to find the superior traits that eventually seal a variety in the market.

The variety Valor, for example, performs very well grown in Israel from Scottish seed, but, when home saved to produce a 2nd crop in the same year, the performance is simply head and shoulders above the competition.

Similarly, the variety Winston has a yield only similar to Spunta, however, with a maturity 20 - 30 days earlier it has significant advantages in time and water requirement which can be priceless in some countries.  ....more »