De Kwakel, February 2019 – WAC has opened new trial sites for roses in Ecuador and Columbia. In 2018 several hundred WAC selections were planted at both sites. “ During the open days in March, we will be proud to present them to potential customers’’, says Agriom director Jaap Stelder.
He enthusiastically shows photos on his laptop of a few selections at the trial site in Ecuador, which he visited in January. A white rose with a lovely full head immediately catches the eye. “ This is Vanilla Ice, our absolute star at the moment. A very productive selection with buds that open nicely and with a slightly elongated shape which prevents them from easily damaging during transport ”, he explains. “ And this is also a great one”, he says as he clicks through to another white rose. “This is the FF100, which has a slightly larger flower than Vanilla Ice.”
Wider range of possibilities
The WAC rose trial site at an altitude of 2800 metres in Cayambe, Ecuador is located at the Flowerfest nursery. The WAC used to have a trial site at Fiscella in Cayambe. “However, we ceased that cooperation as Flowerfest offers a wider range of possibilities ”, explains Stelder. “South America is a key market. We want to introduce South American growers to the WAC range and no longer focus solely on sales in African production areas. ” Within WAC, breeding company Agriom from De Kwakel and Ugandan grower Wagagai have joined forces to develop new selections.
Promising talents
The keen interest shown by South American growers in the WAC range is underlined by the fact that Ecoroses, a nursey at an altitude of 3100 metres in Machachi, Ecuador, planted a trial bed with Bali in October last year. “This rose with flamingo-coloured petals on the outside and a cream-coloured heart is a true talent, and the same can be said of the bi-coloured Catch and certain selections that are still identified by number”, says Stelder. The WAC range planted at the test location in Ecuador can be visited during the open days to be held at the end of March.
Later on in the season, open days are also planned at the WAC trial site at an altitude of 2700 metres in Colombia at Unique Collection Farms in Savanna de Bogota. “Our selections there were planted a little later and in a slightly less advanced stage of growth. But we naturally also want to show them to any interested growers. They looked fabulous when I was there in January, so that’s very promising!’’
Photo caption: Edgar Orjuela (centre left) and Matin Yepes (right ), WAC representatives in Ecuador and Colombia, respectively, inspect a bed of Bali at the new WAC test location in Cayambe, Ecuador.
Agriom: Jaap Stelder director, +31 6 5140 8341
WAC Ecuador: Edgar Orjuela, +593 999706451
WAC Colombia: Martin Yepes, +57 314 4597115
WAC Kenya: Richard McGonnell, +254 722 810 968
or visit the WAC-website.