Alejandro Navarro Diaz, general manager of IVU - International Varieties Unlimited LLCA presented the new cherry varieties marketed under the MEDA® brand at Macfrut 2023.
"Our origin," says Navarro, "goes back more than 50 years when Marvin Nies, a Californian who has dedicated his entire life to creating new cherry varieties, started selecting material essentially from Bing to exploit its benefits and produce earlier varieties. His experimental orchard in California was a marvel: it was 80 acres and each tree was practically a different variety.
Since 2009, having reached an agreement with Marvin, Navarro and his research team have started breeding work on a number of varieties he has produced during his lifetime. "They are the fruits," Navarro continues, "of fruitful cross-breeding work on cherry trees, a passion that has moved Marvin throughout his life and which has resulted in the work that International Varieties Unlimited (IVU) has developed together with his family and a group of leading companies in the production and marketing of cherries worldwide.
The ability and joint work of everyone has helped to achieve valuable results. "Our selection of MEDA® varieties," Navarro concludes, "is bearing fruit and will continue to do so in the future, as Marvin has left us a great legacy to select and develop in different parts of the world."
Below, exclusively for Cherry Times, is the IVU report presented at Macfrut 2023.
19 Jan 2024
Production in 2022 stood at 2866 tonnes, with 66% marketed fresh in the country and 27% dedicated to exports. According to Agri-Hub/PPCEB data reported by Hortgro, in 2022/2023 Great Britain was worth 58% of exports, the Middle East 23%.
27 Jan 2026
Innovar launches a project to test and develop new IP cherry varieties from renowned European programmes like Gräb, JKI and Schwitzky. The initiative spans key Australian regions, focusing on premium quality, extended seasonality and long export-grade shelf life.
04 Aug 2026
A study conducted in Skardu, Pakistan, shows that postharvest dipping of sweet cherries in 1% calcium chloride helps preserve firmness, color, aroma, and microbiological quality, reducing waste and extending shelf life through distribution and retail, with better quality.
04 Aug 2026
In Chile, a three-year study conducted in Curicó shows that low-density plastic covers increase cherry size, protect orchards from frost and hail, and improve fruit quality, profitability and the international competitiveness of growers across Maule and Asian markets.
