The episode of exceptional frost which affected the south-west of France at the beginning of April could cause a wave of bankruptcies in the sector, the interprofession was alarmed on Thursday.

“We lost at least 80% of the harvest.

If very strong measures are not taken, 50% of the 1,000 plum growers will file for bankruptcy.

Both producers and processors are in great difficulty, the sector is in great danger, ”warned the president of the National Interprofessional Prune Bureau (BIP), Nicolas Mortemousque, during a meeting on Thursday afternoon.

Damage greater than in 2021

The prune from Agen, which has benefited from a PGI (protected geographical indication) since 2002, generates 10,000 direct and indirect jobs, depending on the sector, but remains very weakened by two consecutive years of spring frost episodes.

From April 2 to 5, temperatures dropped to -7 degrees in Lot-et-Garonne, which provides the bulk of prune production, and “no protective measure is effective with such low temperatures. “, explained Patrick Léger, president of the Union of individual pruniculturists which brings together 350 members.

According to professionals, the damage observed is already greater than in 2021, when despite the destruction of 70% of the harvest, marketing was saved by prune stocks.

A harvest that should not exceed 9,000 tonnes this year

With a reduced stock this year, “not all markets will be able to be supplied.

We are going to lose market share to prunes from Chile or Argentina,” warned Patrick Léger.

In 2020, 37,765 tons had been harvested, of which more than a third was dedicated to export, in particular to the Spanish, Italian, Greek, Algerian and Chinese markets.

The following year, the harvest had dropped to 16,400 tonnes, and it should not exceed 9,000 tonnes this year, according to the interprofession.

World's third largest producer of prunes

The BIP demands from the State "very strong exceptional measures" and considers that with the only "agricultural calamity fund", which "only reimburses 40% of production", "the sector will not recover". .

A videoconference must be organized Monday at the Ministry of Agriculture, in the presence of the deputy of the 3rd district of Lot-et-Garonne, Olivier Damaisin (LREM), indicated the interprofession.

France, with the IGP pruneau d'Agen, is the world's third largest producer of prunes behind Chile and the United States.

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