Brittany is waiting for a ruling from Brussels, hoping that Holland will be sanctioned by Europe for selling onions instead of shallots. Producer, Hubert Le Nan, President of the National Shallot Section (SNE), says that the argument has been going on “for twenty years”. Since the end of the 90’s, Holland has apparently unfairly been selling onions rather than shallots, which goes against European regulations.
In France, real shallots are labelled “Traditional Shallots” and have a logo. According to a technical advisor at the SNE, a study is being carried out in France and Holland to “establish a precise proposal to define shallots”. Breton producers will have to wait 2 years for a scientific ruling to be made.
In the meantime, Brittany, which is responsible for three quarters of French production, is losing market share- particularly at export. Of the 6,000 tons exported to the USA 10 years ago, now only 1,000 tons are ordered.