Producing more

high-quality gherkins
through good agricultural
practices

The Indian Gherkin Project

The situation
The gherkin (Cucumis anguria) is a fruit similar in form and
nutritional value to a cucumber. Gherkins and cucumbers belong to the same species (Cucumis sativus) but are different
cultivar groups. Since there is a growing worldwide demand
for pickled gherkins, more and more food companies have
started to explore opportunities for producing gherkins. This
is particularly true of India given the favourable growing
conditions in that country.
However, many challenges have to be overcome. For example,
there is not much expertise in growing gherkins according to
good agricultural practices (GAP) and many small-scale
farms/farmers need support and training.
Reitzel India Pvt Ltd. is a company operating in Europe, Turkey
and India, has developed expertise with local partners and
started the gherkin cultivation and processing business in India in 2004. Contract farming with agronomical support from
Reitzels technicians is considered to be the most appropriate
method of growing gherkins according to good agricultural
practices in India.

Over a period of time, Reitzel faced many challenges, including decreasing yield and quality due to pests such as downy
mildew, borers and fruit flies.
At the same time, Reitzel has to comply with stricter and
stricter EU and US regulations about the use of plant protection products (PPP) and maximum residue limits (MRL) on
gherkins. So they regularly set up experimentation fields and
PPP lists to prevent any risk of exceeding MRL and to comply
with all regulations.

The partners involved

Farmers: They receive training and advice on integrated
effective solutions for yield and quality improvement and
increased net profit. The outcome is improved yield and
quality of the production.
Reitzel: Field trials were conducted in order to test Bayers
gherkin solution under practical usage conditions before
advising farmers to apply it. Reitzel supported farmers with
expertise on gherkin cultivation, trade requirements and
customer specifications. Here, the close relationships between Reitzel agri-technicians and farmers proved particularly beneficial.
Reitzel agri-technicians: They adapted the advice given to
implement good agricultural practices and provide adequate
plant protection products, seeds and fertilisers to farmers.
Reitzel factories: The aim is to ensure a continious supply
of fresh and high-quality gherkins to the factories in India,
France, Switzerland and Turkey as well as for export to
various countries in accordance with trade regulations (e.g.
MRL regulations) and customers requirements.
Bayer CropScience: An integrated solution was developed
for gherkin management based on the Food Chain Partnership model by applying the 5P programme to support Reitzel
in exporting gherkins from India. With its national and international expertise, Bayer has been able to provide technical
know-how from seed to harvest, e.g. selection of seed
variety, optimised plant protection solutions and support in
compliance with trade regulations.

The objective
Develop and implement effective solutions to improve the
yield and quality of gherkins, creating a win-win situation for
all partners involved by implementing good agricultural practices and respecting the principles of sustainable agriculture.

The solution
This food chain partnership started with the signing of a
Memorandum of Understanding between Reitzel India and
Bayer CropScience in 2008. Both parties shared their expectations with regard to this partnership and agreed on the
implementation of the 5P process:

Production: Nunhems, a subsidiary of Bayer CropScience,

provided the gherkin variety Ajax, a high-yielding hybrid
variety with good processing qualities.
Protection: With technical support from Bayer, Reitzel conducted many in-house trials to develop an optimised solution
for plant protection treatments. Bayer and Reitzel experts
developed a decision tree for the best growing solution
according to good agricultural practices and respecting
international trade regulations, e.g. MRL regulations.
Programme monitoring: The programme was jointly
monitored during the growing season by Reitzel experts and
Bayer food chain managers and project officers.
Passport: This tool recorded all field management data,
providing adequate traceability and cost management information. It was developed in the respective local language
and implemented at every project farm level.
Post-harvest: Reitzel developed best grading practices and
implemented these together with Bayer field agronomists.
Bayer invested in certified analysis of harvested gherkins in
order to check any exceedance of MRLs for plant protection
products. All the farmers involved in the gherkin food chain
partnership project have been trained and supported
throughout the growing season by Reitzel technicians with
the support of Bayer experts, e.g. training in the safe
handling of plant protection products and using modern
application technologies. The 5P programme for gherkins
was developed according to good agricultural practices
with consideration given to the principles of sustainable agriculture.

The result
The objective was achieved in line with the principles of
sustainable agriculture, and this food chain partnership
continues for the benefit of all the partners involved.

Farmers: Substantial increase of the net income

Reitzel Agri: 5,000 farmers advised by 45 agri-technicians
Reitzel factories: Continuous supply of quality gherkins
with efficient borer and fruit fly management
Consumers: All-year-round availability of gherkins
Bayer CropScience: Provision of effective solutions
for more high-quality gherkins

left:
Amit Sharma
Senior Manager - Food Chain Alliances
of Bayer CropScience India
right:
Sridhara S. Nanjangud
CEO of Reitzel India

Consumers are becoming increasingly conscious of the need

for healthy nutrition. Food chain partnerships help to supply
consumers with high-quality fresh produce, which forms the
basis of a healthy diet. But such partnerships can only succeed if they involve every player in the food chain from the
farmer and processor to the exporter or importer and retailer.
Bayer CropScience has the global experience and cuttingedge expertise to create a successful partnership at every
level.

REITZEL INDIA PVT LTD

# 98 - 99, KIADB Industrial Area
Bangalore Mangalore Highway
Anchepalya, Kempanahalli Post
KUNIGAL 572 126, TUMKUR DIST
India
Phone: +91 81 3229 2315
Email: direction@reitzel.ch
Internet: www.reitzel.ch

For more information contact:

Food Chain Partnership Team India
Bayer CropScience Limited
Bayer House, Central Avenue,
Powai, Mumbai-400076
Maharashtra
India
Mobile: +91 98 2049 1734
Phone: +91 22 2571 1036
Fax:
+91 22 2570 0554
Email: amit.sharma@bayer.com
Internet: www.bayercropscience.com

Bayer CropScience AG
Food Chain Management
Alfred-Nobel-Str. 50
40789 Monheim
Germany
Phone: +49 2173 38 5834
Fax:
+49 2173 38 3383
Email: foodchainpartnership@bayer.com
Internet: www.foodchainpartnership.com
2011 by Bayer CropScience
FCP-11-1522

Reitzel SA
1416 Route dOllon
1860 Aigle
Switzerland
Email: direction@reitzel.ch
Internet: www.reitzel.ch