Hazera’s cucumber: Picking the benefits
Hazera has a long tradition of cucumber breeding. As one of the first companies globally to develop short cucumbers, called Beit Alpha, we have been innovating, improving and gradually expanding into more cucumber types, such as long European, snack, Asian and lately pickling cucumbers for the fresh market.
Local environment
Our programs target varieties that are adapted to the local environment, since climate greatly impacts crop performance. Breeding aims include: high yield, fruit quality and a broad resistance against fungal and viral diseases. It is essential to select crop types suitable for the locally applied growing systems, such as different greenhouse types or growing management technologies. We aim to supply easy-to-pick plant varieties that can be effectively managed in order to provide the grower with the best yields for optimal financial results.
Catch the consumer’s attention & the snacking trend
Cucumber is usually considered a bulk salad product. Our breeding targets nowadays more attractive and qualitative traits to catch the consumer’s attention and interest. Important properties are external appearance, crispiness, taste, shelf life and convenient size. Snacking is now an ongoing trend among the younger generations, for which we currently provide a new pipeline. There is great diversity in cucumber types, depending on their geographic distribution and use.
Hazera’s portfolio:
- Long cucumber
The Long European (Dutch) cucumber is consumed mainly in North Europe, USA, Canada, Oceania, and South Africa. The fruits are generally between 300-450 grs, 28-35 cm long, with a dark green, slightly ribbed skin and are usually eaten in salads. - Short cucumber (Beit Alpha)
The short cucumber is one of the most widespread cucumber types throughout the world. From Central Asia, the Middle East & Mediterranean to the Americas, Oceania, North East Europe and China short cucumbers are popular and grown in different ways, from open field
to indoor cultivation. This cucumber is expanding towards more markets nowadays. Pending the markets there are differences in fruit length/fruit weight requirements
Baby cucumber (for snacking)
The trend for convenient sizes is particularly popular among younger consumer groups. Baby cucumbers are healthy food that is easy to eat and easy to carry, that are also used as snack or cocktail cucumbers. Fruits are not bigger than 8 to 12 cm in size, and attract retailers to provide different categories and offerings. - Asian cucumber
Hazera began breeding cucumbers for the Asian market a decade ago and is now bringing unique varieties into the Chinese market with special traits in terms of yield, fruit quality & appearance, combined with disease resistances. - Pickling cucumber
Pickling traditionally is considered as processed cucumbers to become pickles, but there are markets eating them fresh as well or home processed. Pickling cucumber brings specific flesh qualities providing innovative traits for new market opportunities.
