Two new raspberry varieties that could rival Driscoll’s Maravilla are to be unveiled at Fruit Focus next week.

Kweli is orange-red in colour, is resistant to most pests and diseases, has a shelf-life of up to 10 days and can produce two crops a year - in spring and autumn. Imara is red, highly productive, easy to harvest and full of flavour.

Meiosis - the exclusive agent for the varieties worldwide - is currently gauging interest from UK supermarkets. Both varieties are already sold on the Continent.

Kweli and Imara would compete with the Maravilla raspberry variety, developed by berry breeder Driscoll’s, Meiosis claimed. “We are hopeful they will become major varieties, but ultimately this will depend on the supermarkets’ and consumers’ reactions,” said a spokesman.

It was too early to predict when they might hit supermarket shelves, but Meiosis hoped it would be within a year, he added.

Kweli and Imara were bred by Advanced Berry Breeding in the Netherlands.

Since becoming available in commercial quantities in the UK in 2003, Maravilla has secured wide listings.

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