One of the largest grain processors in Latvia, JSC “Rīgas Dzirnavnieks” this week accepted the first grain of the “Herkuless Baltic” oat variety. This variety was established together with the leading grain growing institute in Finland as a gift for Latvia’s centenary. In Latvia, for food, not for seed multiplication, the portal “Delfi” was informed in the company.
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It is planned that the first “Hercules” product – oatmeal – will soon be made from the new variety of grain. Since the end of July, “Rīgas Dzirnavnieks” has actively started accepting cereals. The company plans to buy up to 150,000 tons of grain in the new season – wheat, rye and oats, which will be used in the production of the company’s products.
In the first year, new farms have been sown by 11 farms in different regions with an area of about 500 ha.
“We are pleased with the result, because already in the first year with a limited amount of seeds we have started cooperating with 11 farms in different regions. We look forward to autumn, when we will be able to please our people with the first products made directly from the new variety. The production of this variety, therefore, the best Finnish crop specialists worked on the creation of this variety, who have created several oat varieties suitable for the northern climate, “admits board member Dmitry Ryndia.
“Rīgas Dzirnavnieks” several years ago launched a special oat growing program in Latvia to promote the interest of farmers in growing oats for food production, which would have high quality indicators. The new variety is part of the program. Work on its development started already in 2008, but the first grains for seed in the natural environment were sown ten years later.
The new oat variety “Herkuless Baltic” has been developed at the Finnish Cereal Breeding Institute “Boreal”, with the aim of adapting to our changing climatic conditions and at the same time ensuring high quality indicators, which are important in food production. The results of “Boreal” laboratory tests showed that the new variety of grain is characterized by higher protein, higher bulk density, as well as less flakiness and smaller grain cover. However, one of the most outstanding characteristics of the new variety is its high beta-glucan content compared to other varieties, as well as durable stems that reduce the risk of falling in the veld. After receiving the harvest and laboratory measurements, the results of this year will be visible.
Latvian farmers have a high potential for growing oats, which is determined both by suitable climatic conditions and in recent years by the purposeful work of farmers in cultivating good quality oats. Continuing this way, in the coming years Latvia can gain a reputation among the world’s players as a grower of very high quality oats, similar to what is currently the case with wheat. It should be mentioned that a few years ago in Latvia oats were mainly grown for fodder.
The company’s exports account for about 30%.
JSC “Rīgas Dzirnavnieks” is one of the largest grain processors in the Baltics. The company produces and sells grain processing products – all types of wheat and rye flour, flour mixtures, flakes, rolled grains and groats for industrial consumers, as well as prepackaged products for individual consumption under the brands “Herkuless” and “Īsta Saimniece”.
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