Tainan, Taiwan
October 1, 2010
Source: Newsletter of the World Vegetable Center
Twenty-four months after it was first sown in the nursery at AVRDC – The World Vegetable Center’s Regional Breeding Unit in Madagascar, tomato line LBR-11, named ‘Manja’ (“beautiful,” in Malagasy) was successfully launched during the annual Madagascar Rural Economy International Fair from 4 to 8 August 2010 in Antananarivo.
Local seed companies SEEDFAS and MATAGRI participated in the fair, joining with the Center to set up an attractive display to facilitate visitors’ understanding of the link between research, seed production, and dissemination.
SEEDFAS sold more than 1000 sets of seeds for all species during the fair. But for MATAGRI, which was participating in the fair for the first time, it was ‘Manja’ that drew all the attention. The beautiful fruit on display next to the seed packets caught the eye of fairgoers; within two hours, 100 seed packets (each 4 g in weight) were sold on the first day of the fair at a price of US$1 per packet.
Intrigued by the unusual fruit size and shape, visitors also clamored to purchase fresh ‘Manja’ at US$.50 per kg.
By the third day of the fair, demand exceeded supply. The ‘Manja’ seed was sold out and all fresh produce sold as well. The MATAGRI team passed out the company address to visitors and is looking forward to even better seed sales in the months ahead. A MATAGRI representative plans to visit AVRDC headquarters this year to learn more about the Center’s activities, breeding work, and seed production methods.
‘Manja’ is not only beautiful, but robust as well. It is better suited to long-distance shipping than other round tomato varieties, which typically become soft and bruised after short periods of transportation. ‘Manja’ was transported to the fair over a distance of 300 km—100 km on rough secondary roads—and arrived at the fair in great shape. AVRDC tomato lines LBR-9 and LBR-17 are under multiplication respectively at MATAGRI and SEEDFAS, and will reach the market in April 2011. Other AVRDC vegetable lines, including at least one per species—sweet pepper (PP0337-7018, PP0014-66) hot pepper (Susan’s Joy, ICPN 18-8), onion (OC 373-3-A-A-C, FBO1), pumpkin (WVC P-53, Medium Oval), squash (WVC S-16, WVC S-18), African eggplant (DB3, Tengeru White) and amaranth (Lettuce type, TOT 2204)—will also be available for sale in Madagascar in 2011.
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