French endive production is back in the spotlight after two somewhat sluggish seasons. While the volumes are there, the focus this year will be on adding value. Pierre Varlet, director of the Association of French Endive Producers (APEF), looks back at the launch of the French endive campaign, which was attended by nearly sixty people (supermarkets, wholesalers, shippers, and producers) on October 7th in Arras.
© APEF
"We should be at 100% until August 31st of next year"
"The increase in acreage and good weather conditions helped the harvest in the autumn of 2024 to reach a level in line with expectations and to meet market demand, despite some supply tensions between September and December," explains Pierre Varlet. This year, apart from some slight pressure from woolly adelgid, the harvest looks promising in terms of quantity and quality. All the more so as the 2024 root stock will provide a bridge to the 2025 harvest, which will continue until December. The signs are therefore good for this year, with production estimated at 120,000 tons. APEF is even forecasting a full 12 months of trade. "What we are harvesting at the moment is very encouraging. The sizes are good, and the dry matter and nitrogen levels are also satisfactory. We should therefore be able to produce good endive until November 2026, and thus be at 100% of our potential until August 31st of next year."
Learning lessons from the 2021-2022 campaign
The sector's objective is clear this year: "to achieve the same endive volumes as in 2021/2022, the benchmark season in terms of volumes, while avoiding the low prices seen back then." That season was also marked by an unprecedented energy crisis, which weighed heavily on production costs. "The challenge this year is therefore to succeed in getting a fair price for the product," explains Pierre Varlet. While the market is currently in demand, price levels are in no way exceptional. "Volumes are there, so prices struggle to increase. It is vital that retailers understand that growers need to earn a living while investing in new crop protection solutions." This year will be the last for the use of Movento, designed to combat aphids.
Will endives regain their place in the top 5 most popular vegetables?
© APEF
"We broke records this year, even in the summer months," explains Pierre Varlet. Endive is, in fact, the vegetable whose consumption rose the most over the 4 weeks of summer, by 37.7% (+7.7% in 1 year). This increase is due to in-store promotional actions. "Endive has one of the highest promotion rates of all fruit and vegetables." According to Pierre Varlet, this is necessary to be able to sell off volumes more easily. "If we do not keep telling people that endives are available, with promotional campaigns on the radio and on the shelves, consumers tend to forget about them." The slightly lower prices are another reason for this summer's success.
In an attempt to regain the market share lost over the last two years, APEF has decided to step up its communications and try to get endives back into the top 5 of the most popular fresh vegetables in France, by focusing on its strengths. "One of the assets of endives is that they can be eaten in both winter and summer: in salads, as a starter, for brunch. We are hoping that young consumers will see endives as something other than a bitter, old-fashioned vegetable. But endives are also a practical product, as they do not need to be washed or peeled. They can be eaten raw or cooked and used in both savory and sweet dishes! Endives, therefore, tick all the boxes when it comes to responding to new consumer habits."
For more information:
Pierre Varlet (director)
APEF
2, rue des Fleurs
62000 Arras
Phone: +33(0)3 21 07 89 89
[email protected]
endive.fr
