Thibaud Hue, edited by Romain Rouillard 06:30, June 06, 2022
The hailstorms that hit Gers and Landes in particular caused considerable damage to many farms.
Some winegrowers even say they have lost everything and these hazards linked to climate change risk jeopardizing their portfolio.
Hailstones as thick as golf balls.
This is what a large part of France suffered this weekend, more particularly the south-west of the country.
Enough to make months of work disappear for several growers.
For three years, Nelly La Cave has known nothing but disasters.
"First there was hail 2 years ago in June which ravaged 40% of our vineyard, then last year in April an episode of frost which shattered 90%", tells Europe 1 the winegrower near Mont de Marsan.
"And there, this episode of hail made us lose 100% of everything we had."
Insurance prices are rising
Ever stronger and more devastating bad weather which mechanically inflates the price of its insurance.
"The deductible was 10% the previous year, it has increased to 20% this year".
Others, like Sébastien du Petit Thouars, have never been insured, but this winegrower from Chinon, who has lost half of his harvest, is about to change his mind.
"The frost, I suffered it little until last year. But now, it will perhaps force me to insure myself against the vagaries of the weather as a whole."
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Powerless in the face of the weather, these farmers are repairing the damage and asking for a state of natural disaster to be declared, to be compensated, while waiting for better harvests next year.