Launch of the “Local Cream” Cauliflower

Society – On Friday, July 11, 2025, a new variety of cauliflower named “Local Cream” was officially launched in Réduit. This variety is the result of a collaboration between the Food and Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (FAREI) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as part of a research programme that began in 2016.

The project aimed to find a sustainable solution to Black Rot, a disease that had been affecting cauliflower cultivation in Mauritius. After eight years of research and development, the new “Local Cream” variety is now available for local production.

“Local Cream” is characterised by a dome-shaped, semi-compact, cream-coloured head (the edible part of the plant), and has a cultivation cycle of 60 to 65 days after transplantation. It was developed to suit local growing conditions while meeting the expectations of both farmers and consumers.

This launch is part of a broader effort to strengthen the country’s food self-sufficiency and to promote agricultural practices driven by research and innovation. By offering a concrete response to a long-standing plant health issue, this new variety marks another step forward in the modernisation of the local vegetable farming sector.