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Some Japanese staples now grown in Switzerland

Some Japanese staples now grown in Switzerland

Tokyo (SCCIJ) – Innovation in Switzerland also happens in the field of agriculture: Rice, soya beans, and sweet potatoes which originated in Asia and the Americas and are typical staples in the Japanese diet may be regularly grown in Switzerland. Valued for their adaptability to climate change and for nutritional qualities and also as a potential source of diversification, these crops have in fact begun to be bred in parts of Switzerland and may become more widely cultivated in the future.

Some Japanese staples now grown in Switzerland

The rice fields are also home to threatened species like the green tree frog (© Kathrin Hartmann)

Rice paddies in northern Switzerland?

Rice cultivation, which is generally associated with Asian countries like Japan, China, and India, could well become a reality in northern Switzerland. This cereal is already being produced in Ticino to meet strong consumer demand for Swiss-grown risotto rice.

Agroscope has been conducting cultivation trials in northern Switzerland since 2017. An Agroscope research team conducted the first trial at the Witi nature reserve on the outskirts of Grenchen in the canton of Solothurn. A second trial took place in Schwadernau in the canton of Bern in collaboration with Hans-Rudolf Mühlheim, who owns a farm there.

In contrast to the dry cultivation method (without artificial flooding of fields) used in Ticino, the trials conducted at the Witi nature reserve and in Schwadernau involved wet rice cultivation. First, the land was tilled and divided into two halves. On one half, rice seeds were sown, and the area was artificially flooded. On the other half, rice seedlings were planted.

Production without chemicals

“The harvests that followed the 2017 and 2018 trials were very encouraging,” says project manager Thomas Walter. “The trial crops yielded between four and seven tons of raw rice per hectare – a very promising market potential,” he adds. Thomas Walter notes, however, that adapting wet rice cultivation to the Swiss climate and reducing its ecological footprint will require further research.

In addition to being a high value-added production method that does not require any chemical pesticides, wet rice cultivation also contributes to biodiversity. During the trial at the Witi nature reserve, the project team observed several threatened animal species, including green tree frogs, natterjack toads, and snipes, a species of wading bird typically found in marshes. The researchers also observed seventeen dragonfly species and two rare plant species in the rice field.

Sweet potatoes from Lake Geneva

Some Japanese staples now grown in Switzerland

Agroscope has conducted sweet potato cultivation trials on the shores of Lake Geneva (© Agroscope, Carole Parodi)

Trials conducted by Brice Dupuis, a researcher at Agroscope, on the shores of Lake Geneva have shown that sweet potatoes can be grown in Switzerland thanks to the use of smart cultivation techniques. “We tested a variety of methods to protect the plants from the cold: we applied wheat mulch to the soil surface, covered the soil under the sweet potato plants with micro-perforated black plastic sheeting and laid a protective film on the plants,” explains Dupuis. These cultivation techniques yielded promising results, with sweet potatoes weighing up to 2 kilograms. Sweet potatoes thus offer vegetable farmers an opportunity to diversify their production. They are also well-suited for organic farming because most of the diseases and pests that can blight sweet potato crops do not occur in Switzerland. However, several challenges remain – mainly weed control and how to store sweet potatoes for several months without loss of quality – which will keep agricultural researchers busy for years to come.

An alternative source of protein

Soya bean is produced worldwide each year, making it the world’s leading oilseed and protein crop. It is also being cultivated in Switzerland, but Swiss production covers less than 1% of domestic demand. “The first step in our research – which began in 1981 – was to develop soya bean varieties adapted to the Swiss climate,” explains Claude-Alain Bétrix, a researcher at Agroscope. About 50 varieties were selected for distribution to farmers in Switzerland and other European countries. Bétrix and his team compared the characteristics of tofu made from different soya bean varieties. It then analyses the color and texture of each tofu sample, as well as their protein content and quality. Whereas most soya bean varieties have an average protein content of 40%, the Proteix, Falbala and Protibus varieties created by Agroscope have protein levels ranging from 45% to 50%. To meet tofu lovers’ expectations, the Agroscope team has developed better, less grassy-tasting varieties. Agroscope’s ‘Aveline’ and ‘Amandine’ tofus, for example, have a light hazelnut flavor that is sure to entice seasoned gourmets.

Some Japanese staples now grown in Switzerland

Tofu is made by pouring curdled soya milk into a mold and pressing the curds into shape. (©Agroscope, Carole Parodi)

Text and photos: © House of Switzerland

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