NEIKER tests soybean and potato varieties to boost the organic farming sector
The initiative is in line with the European “Farm to Fork” strategy, which stipulates that by 2030, 25% of European agricultural land should be organic.
The Basque Country has 12,688 hectares dedicated to organic farming, according to the Basque Country Council for Organic Agriculture and Food (Ekolurra), which reports that in 2024 the organic area has grown by almost 18% compared to the previous year. This increase reflects the expansion of the sector and the need to continue researching and selecting varieties adapted to organic farming systems, in line with the European ‘Farm to Fork’ strategy, which establishes that by 2030, 25% of European agricultural land should be organic.
In the case of soybeans, the work is being carried out within the framework of the Euskoekosoja working group coordinated by UAGA, with the participation of NEIKER, the processing company Ekosal-luz (Zuaitzo, Sojhappy) and two organic farms in Álava. During the conference, the results of trials carried out on eight varieties were presented, evaluated for their adaptation to the local climate, yield and grain quality.
‘The data obtained show differences in productive behaviour and seed size, information that will enable the selection of the most suitable varieties for the production of organic soybeans for human consumption, including processing into products such as tofu and vegetable protein,’ said Roberto Ruiz de Arcaute, a technician from NEIKER’s Plant Production and Protection Department.
As for potatoes, NEIKER has presented the results of varietal evaluation trials, which combine commercial varieties with clones developed in its genetic improvement programme. The work is carried out on plots certified by Ekolurra, where aspects such as yield, tuber quality and disease resistance are assessed.
