The cold weather that spread over the island a couple of weeks ago has frozen and damaged crops in the Plaine des Cafres. The CGPER met on the 19th July to ask the State for help with the damages (which reach €500,000).
Jean-Philippe Smith is one of the many farmers affected by the frost. He grows potatoes, strawberries, cabbage, cauliflower, tomatoes and carrots and says, “I have lost 80% of potato production and 100% of courgettes and tomatoes”. He explains that a few days after the frost “the plants began to rot. I have to start all over again”.
Jean-Phillippe explains that courgettes have a 3 month cycle, potatoes have a 3 and a half month cycle. Whilst they have fertiliser and manure, some seeds come from the metropolitan and they may have to wait until October to receive new potato seeds.
However, the frost did have a good effect on strawberries, which were pressured by the cold to flower. “Strawberries are better, we are already selling them,” concludes Jean-Phillippe.