Corsican clementines are much consumed during holidays in Cosica. However, they will most likely be scarce. Indeed, because of the movement of yellow vests, nearly 700 tons of Corsican clementines were blocked in trucks from the Paca region, causing an interruption of the harvest in Corsica.
Even if losses are not huge at the moment, the entire island’s production is affected. "Our PGI constraints will not let us to exceed 72 hours after harvest, from the tree to the consumer. This time, losses were limited, with 75% of the expedition that went through, "says François-Xavier Ceccoli, president of GIE Corsica Comptoir.
To prevent losses, the industry anticipated the blockages by temporarily stopping the packaging of clementines. On the other hand, this situation will not work if the blockages persist. "We took the only decision we could when we stopped the harvest. Fruits are better on trees than on the roads. But the situation remains nonetheless tricky because, when the fruit is ripe, it must be picked, and this year is going to be a big year for production. The trees are full, but the caliber is smaller. This means that they will be marketed in film trays, less tolerant to the duration of transport time. We also face high humidity which implies that the fruit evolves faster, with an increase in the percentage of refusals at the entrance of platforms. In order not to throw away fruit, we donate them to charitable organizations on the Continent. "
"Clearly, continues Francis-Xavier Ceccoli, it is a year that promises to be complicated by weather conditions, the caliber of fruit, and blockages ... which have their legitimacy, we agree. We do not take sides and we will continue to work, even if the concern remains. "
Source: Corsica Morning