Guillaume Thomas is an expert and buyer of fruits and vegetables at the supermarket chain ‘Bio NaturéO'. In France, the supply of organic fruits and vegetables is increasing enormously. "A few years ago, there were mainly Dutch and German products. Today we find more and more French products, but also Italian, Spanish, Moroccan and Tunisian products. Demand is increasing too. The main reason is that people want to eat healthy products without pesticides."
Guillaume: “Fruits and vegetables are often at the entrance of the store and thus form the showcase. The store must stay very fresh and beautiful."
People buy organic for their needs. "There are consumers who eat 100%. The others buy all the basic products, such as flour, oil and butter, organic. A third group eats nearly entirely organic, but allows for small pleasures such as peaches, which are too expensive organically.”
"With organics, we are much closer to the natural cycle than with conventionals. The products grow when they grow. Our consumers are trying to eat seasonal fruits and vegetables, but it is very surprising that there is no real understanding from customers of what a season’s like. For example, we already offer the first asparagus because they grew. Theoretically the asparagus season starts in April or May, and there are some customers who refuse to buy asparagus because in their minds it's not the season."
A development in recent years is that the producers regroup more among themselves to stagger the production. "They plan it as such, so that they do not produce the same variety at the same time. This avoids holes in the production, as well as overproduction of some products. Consumers prefer local products, but this is very difficult to do; Not everything grows everywhere. Exotic fruits, for example, tend to come from different places."
Guillaume does not think that, in the short term, all French production could be organic. "The organic sector is not yet able to feed the entire population. In 2016, we had a disastrous organic cereal harvest. If 80% of cereal production would have been organic, France, and even Europe, would have been very hungry. Research for varieties more resistant to drought and disease continues; we did not work enough on that. Of course I would like it, especially for the environment, as well as for the health of consumers and the health of the farmers. But it's too early yet."
For more information:
NaturéO
www.natureo-bio.fr
contact@natureo-bio.fr