Paris (AFP)

With the exception of cherries, rare on the stalls because of the frost, most fruits and vegetables sold in France have returned to levels close to before the pandemic, calculates the association Rural Families in its annual observatory, published on Friday. .

"After a year 2020, a record in terms of price, most of the products in our basket are returning to values ​​close to those recorded in 2019", reports the association for the defense of consumers in a press kit.

"Excluding cherries, prices fell by -8% overall between June 2020 and June 2021 (-4% for fruits and -11.5% for vegetables)", according to Rural Families.

In detail, the prices of organic fruits have fallen by 5% overall, those of conventional by 3%.

Apricots - which also suffered from frost - and apples experienced a marked increase in conventional products (+ 18% and + 9% respectively).

Conversely, the melon fell by 21%.

As for vegetables, organic products fell by 5%, conventional by 18%.

Rural families carried out 111 price surveys from June 15 to 30 in hypermarkets, supermarkets, hard discount stores and organic brands, via a team of 83 "consumption watchers" in 38 departments.

Its calculation is based on a basket of eight fruits (apple, melon, apricot, strawberry, peach, banana, lemon, watermelon) and ten vegetables (eggplant, carrot, zucchini, green bean, lettuce, green pepper, potato, tomato cluster, cucumber, yellow onion).

Faced with certain prices which "reach peaks" and purchasing power constraints, the association suggests favoring products "which remain accessible to the greatest number" (carrots, zucchini, bananas, cucumbers ...) and not to "especially not to give up a healthy diet".

Rural families also calls on the public authorities to introduce a "fruit and vegetable" check for the most modest.

© 2021 AFP