History

History of Caraway Cultivation

Major change was achieved by permitting the variety Record (registration 1978), which provides high yields with essential oils and it is resistant to loss of seeds during maturation and harvest. Prochan (reg. 1990) and Kepron (reg. 1994) were added to the list of new varieties. Their breeder was again František Procházka from breeding station Česká Běla, which was, at that time, included in the breeding station Keřkov, district Brod. These three varieties represent a unique set of high-performance, high-quality and deciduous varieties with a high content of essential oils with favourable content of carvone.
Intensive breeding also caused intense involvement of science and research in this field.

Workers of research institutes and representatives of agricultural universities are also involved in these issues. Currently, there are workers from AGRITEC Šumperk and from Mendel University in Brno.
Thanks to the introduction of these deciduous varieties of caraway our country became an exporter of caraway. These exports are, in some years, very significant.
Due to a change in ownership, the traditional caraway breeding at Breeding Station in Bělá was terminated. Association Czech Caraway is trying to eliminate the change and fully supports the new caraway breeding in Agritec Šumperk.

The law of supply and demand is valid even in conditions of market economy. High harvest usually causes lower purchase prices and again it causes lower sowing in subsequent years. In spite of these market interventions the quality of caraway still keeps high standard. In 2002, caraway was granted a "Certificate of Registration of a Designation of Origin - Český kmín" under number 193 by Industrial Property Office (EPO).

In 2004, the association filed a request for designation of origin Český Kmín within the EU. After four years of effort, the association managed to defend this request. Since 2008, commodity Český Kmín holds a protected designation of origin within the EU.
The Czech Republic has specific conditions which are suitable for growing caraway, because of the soil composition and environmental conditions in connection with tradition. Long-term experience in the caraway cultivation is also irreplaceable. This obliges us to further systematic work in this area.