Storage-friendly cabbage keeps for 5 months chilled; ATRRI to grant non-exclusive licenses for introduced varieties at no charge

The Fengshan Branch of the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute introduced about 40 cabbage varieties from abroad and selected a "storage- and transport-tolerant cabbage" variety; after 5 months of cold storage, it still maintained a certain standard whether stir-fried, eaten raw or processed. A tasting was held on the 23rd, leaving many seed industry operators astonished by its quality. Non-exclusive licensing at no charge is expected to be completed within 2 months, and seeds could be available as early as this year.

According to data from the Agricultural Products Wholesale Market Trading Information Station, cabbage prices last year were at their best in summer and autumn, exceeding 35 yuan per kilogram, but after entering winter they fell to about 6 yuan per kilogram at their worst, with prices fluctuating sharply. Cabbage varieties grown in Taiwan are not tolerant of storage. Wang Santai, director of the Fengshan Branch of the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute, said that cabbage is generally cooked by stir-frying, so when farmers grow cabbage they choose the "Early Autumn" variety. Its characteristics include high water content, sweetness and tenderness, but it can be stored in cold storage for at most 2 months; after 2 months it begins to yellow and rot.

To solve the problem of domestically grown cabbage not tolerating storage, the search began for varieties tolerant of storage and refrigeration. Through the Council of Agriculture's "Research and Development to Enhance the Competitiveness of Taiwan's Fruit and Vegetable Production and Marketing Supply Chain" project, the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute introduced about 40 varieties from Japan, mainland China and other places, and selected storage- and transport-tolerant varieties from them. Wang Santai said that during experiments, some varieties were found to remain commercially acceptable after 5 months of cold storage. On the 23rd, seed industry operators were invited to taste cabbage that had been refrigerated for 5 months, including preparations as dumplings, pickles, stir-fried dishes and raw food, and they were greatly impressed by its quality, expressing willingness to introduce it.

In addition to helping store the excess cabbage produced in winter, Wang Santai also said that because Early Autumn has a higher water content, it is not suitable for overseas raw-food markets. The storage- and transport-tolerant cabbage has less water, giving it a better raw-eating texture than Early Autumn, and it is expected to become a potential export crop.

Wang Santai said that non-exclusive licensing at no charge is expected to be completed within 2 months, and farmers could buy storage- and transport-tolerant cabbage seeds as early as this winter. He hopes that after promotion it can account for 5% to 10% of cabbage planting area. If cabbage production is excessive at that time, cold storage operators can purchase cabbage of these varieties to help stabilize vegetable prices, and releasing it after 5 months can also bring certain returns.

At the cabbage tasting event, various cabbages were displayed on site; the storage-tolerant variety introduced by the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute can be chilled for 5 months without its quality changing.