France is Europe’s 6th biggest strawberry producer, behind Spain, Poland, Germany, Italy and even the UK in 2013. Spain is France’s number 1 supplier followed by Belgium, Morocco and Germany. Foreign exchange deficit reached 72,500 tons in 2014, i.e. 56% of available quantity. Overall, since the start of this season, exports in April have been stable in the last year and imports have decreased by 9% compared to 2014. Over this period the foreign trade deficit dropped to 12% in a year. Until May, national production only represented a small part of the market which was being supplied with imports since the start of the season. However, since June and until the end of the season, national harvests have dominated the market. Due to harvest beginning slowly and a decrease in imports, the offer in April and May decreased compared to 2014. The reduced quantity, at times when temperatures have been increasing and demand growing, means that prices have been higher than last year, and slightly below the 2010-2014 average. Whilst crop health is satisfactory, Drosophila Suzukii attacks are continuing to increase.
Acreage has increased compared to 2014 (+2%, reaching 3,280 hectares). Harvest is slightly higher than last year and clearly increasing compared to the 2010-2014 average. Low covered crops are the only type to see a decrease over the last year (-11%), but this type of production still covers more acreage than open air crops (4% increase compared to 2014). The largest increase is seen in high covered crops with a 7% increase over the year (an increase had already been remarked last year compared to 2013). Over the last 2 years, over half of the crops grown to be sold fresh were produced in greenhouses.
Huge differences in temperature between night and day have led to a decrease in harvest compared to predictions at the start of the season. Yield is lower than last year and production had only increased by 1% (reaching 59,401 tons) compared to 2014 (but 10% compared to the 2010-2014 average). Following a low mid-April, harvest in May reached a level expected of the season and above that of the previous season. However, in June harvest decreased again compared to last year.