• SK Südtirol

    The Variety Innovation Consortium South Tyrol (SK) founded in 2002 is conducting a worldwide search for new, interesting varieties of apples in order to test their suitability for cultivation under South Tyrolean conditions.

    The findings of this multi-year testing process are essential for the two fruit-growing cooperatives VOG and VIP to be able to formulate cultivation recommendations for the producers and/or to correspondingly steer possible marketing activities.

  • SK Südtirol

    Standard varieties and their clonal improvements represent a large portion of new plantings in Europe. But the real news is to be seen in the introduction of entirely new varieties of apples stemming from the more than 80 apple breeding programs being conducted worldwide.

    We from SK Südtirol are looking for the most-interesting new varieties so that we can test them in South Tyrol – together with the Laimburg Research Center, the South Tyrolean Advisory Service for Fruit and Wine Growing, and the producer organizations VOG and VIP, which has led to the introduction of numerous innovative varieties in South Tyrol.

  • SK Südtirol

    Our work is based on the exchange of information and cooperation with our partners

    VOG and VIP are the founding members of the two networks International Pome Fruit Alliance (IPA) and NovaMela. These networks work together closely with the owners of the varieties, inform them about the needs of orchard farmers and market requirements, test the varieties from the point of view of the producers, cooperate in marketing them, and exchange information.

    We are convinced that the Variety Innovation Consortium with its members (VOG and VIP) – who have a total production of more than 1,000,000 tons per year, will be an interesting partner for future projects.