Support Rear Bulgaria – a synonym of modern breeding and professional vegetable production

If there is a plant from the Solanaceae family that could best describe the Bulgarian culinary taste, it is the tomato. From producers and traders to restaurateurs or simply lovers of the vegetable traditional for our cuisine, everyone is looking for high quality combined with the sweetness of the tomato from our childhood memories. Often this is a particularly difficult and responsible task – to introduce a new variety on the market that simultaneously meets the high production standards and satisfies the demanding taste of the consumer. This is why Opora Zaden has devoted itself to professional vegetable cultivation, with the aim of providing a diverse range of varieties suitable for the local market.

Mamipink F1 is the new proposal from Enza Zaden in the pink tomato segment – a garden-type variety with excellent taste and aroma, with a velvety thin skin. The fruits are traditionally shaped, well ribbed and weigh between 250 and 300 g. It has a rich set of genetic resistances, ensuring high yields and consistent quality. It is suitable for spring and summer production in greenhouses.

photo: Opora Zaden

A characteristic feature of Mamipink F1 is its longer shelf life and the possibility to store it in a refrigerator for one week, while subsequently it remains fresh on the shelves of fruit and vegetable departments, even when fully ripe.

The fruit of the Mamipink F1 variety is very uniform, with a flat bottom, which facilitates sorting operations.

It is no coincidence that this tomato variety attracted the attention of producers and consumers over the past year. At the competition “Agrobusinessman of Bulgaria” in the category “Innovative Product”, Mamipink F1 was distinguished as an innovative pink tomato variety.

The award was presented to Maria Nikolova, manager of the experimental base of “Opora Zaden Bulgaria”. photo: 24 Chasa

And in the Agri Summit&Awards 2024 competition, Maria Nikolova is nominated in the categories “Gardener of 2024” and “ESG Farm of 2024”. Very soon, on 9 February, we will find out how many awards the innovative farm has won.

Opora Zaden Bulgaria – modern breeding in vegetable production

The base of Opora Zaden in the village of Tsalapitsa, Plovdiv region, was established as a demonstration and experimental field where different species and varieties of vegetables, herbs and spices of leading Dutch breeding companies, as well as of the Maritsa Vegetable Crops Research Institute (VCRI-Maritsa), microbial and non-mineral fertilizers, products aimed at biological control and the protection of the environment and water resources are tested.

Modern methods of Good Agricultural Practices, integrated plant protection, innovations and new technologies in vegetable production have been implemented.

At Opora Zaden, it is possible in a real environment to test, observe and evaluate a combination of varieties, products and methods aimed at professional ecological vegetable production.

The company has been on the Bulgarian market for 32 years, and its founder is Ognian Nikolov (father), one of the innovators in the sector. The business is inherited by the next generation of agronomists. In 2008, partners from the Dutch breeding company Enza Zaden established the experimental base with an area of 4 decares of modern greenhouses and 10 decares of open fields as a site for testing new varieties. Since 2017, the control and management of the vegetable fields and greenhouses have been entirely in the hands of Maria Nikolova, owner of the experimental base of “Opora Zaden Bulgaria”.

At present, trials are being carried out and products of other international and Bulgarian companies are being tested; regular practical training, internships and PhD programmes are conducted for students from the Agricultural University and the University of Forestry. Opora Zaden Bulgaria participates in European projects jointly with the Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology and AgroHub.BG, thanks to which the base is equipped with automated irrigation, precision fertilization and climate control.

Since 2018, Open Days have been organized annually, in cooperation with other leading companies, research centers, international retail chains and world-class chefs, focusing on ecological vegetable production and clean food. Every year, the event attracts increasing interest from producers, processors, research units, traders, culinary professionals and other stakeholders in the sector.

Opening of a Demo Point at Opora Zaden Bulgaria

On 7 February from 13:00 at the farm of Opora Zaden Bulgaria, a Demo Point in the AgroHub.BG network will be held.

On the opening day, you will have the opportunity to see in action the innovative technologies implemented in the greenhouse for the purposes of precision production of different vegetable varieties, fresh herbs and spices.

The demo tours are free of charge, but require prior registration, which you can make HERE: https://forms.gle/AqgCcqxvoY6EmFvC7

The demo tours will be conducted in groups of up to 15 people every 30 minutes.