In January, strawberry nursery representatives from 12 countries and a team from UC Davis joined Global Plant Genetics Ltd. (GPG) on a visit to Egypt and Jordan to explore advances in strawberry genetics.

The group visited Domiatec Agri-Group in Egypt, where presentations and field visits reflected the professionalism of Domiatec's tissue culture laboratory and nursery facilities.

UC Davis' new strawberry varieties demonstrated impressive quality and fruit yield in this country, reinforcing Egypt as a key player in the world strawberry market.

Jordan: exceptional strawberry quality

The visit continued in Jordan, where Highland Ag Investments, led by Abdallah Al Tayeh, showcased outstanding UC Davis cultivars: UC Victor, UC Valiant, UC Moxie and UC Royal Royce.

Highlights included Haygrove's new high-specification tunnels, one hectare for UC Davis fruit production and one hectare for nursery propagation.

GPG noted that this facility will be a model for the region with Abdallah's expertise, advanced infrastructure, and world-class genetics.

Regarding what characteristics make Egypt and Jordan attractive locations for growing UC David varieties, Eloise McDowell, Marketing and Communications Manager for GPG, told Freshfruitportal.com that daytime neutral varieties—Royal Royce, Valiant, and Moxie—do well in Jordan, with higher yields than existing varieties, better flavor, and longer shelf life.

“The quality of the fruit in Egypt is really very good, with high yields,” she said.

While the fruit is mainly sold in the local market, it is also exported to the European Union and Gulf countries.

McDowell stated that the export window runs from November to April, and they want to grow them in other countries “practically all over the world."

Outstanding strawberry varieties and remarkable performance in Jordan

The UC Victor variety showed a "massive fruit load." It is expected to reach a significant peak in May and June, similar to trends observed in the coastal regions of eastern California. It produced large, high-quality fruit with exceptional shelf life.

It also exhibits excellent flavor with a balanced sugar-acidity profile. Harvesting every five days improved flavor and internal color compared to the more frequent three-day harvest.

UC Royal Royce was planted in October 2024 and harvested in early December 2024. It demonstrated exceptional fruit size and vibrant color, meeting the high expectations associated with this variety.

The visits reaffirmed Egypt and Jordan's growing role in global strawberry production. With expert growers, premium genetics, and state-of-the-art infrastructure, the future looks bright.