In the French community of communes Couesnon-Marches de Bretagne, located in the department of Ille-et-Vilaine and the region of Brittany, the apple is a true vocation for many individuals.
"Just two years ago, we didn't make apple juice on our territory, compared to the 20,000 litres we produced last year. The same goes for "le pommé" ( which is an apple tart), explains Henri Pierre-Rouault, a technician at Couesnon-Marches de Bretagne.
The group of municipalities has just commissioned Sophie Noury, a young student in a master's degree in sustainable development strategy and peri-urbanization (ERPUR). For six months, she will have to make a current inventory of the orchards present in the territory and analyse le pommé and its apples, which have become the star product of the territory. It will also have to draw up the history of orchards and trace their evolution following land redevelopment and the construction of the A84, using the ortho-photography technique.
The group is also seeking to obtain a PDO about double production. Henri-Pierre Rouault would like "something that would be from the upper stem orchard combining crops or livestock underneath, likely to generate additional income for farmers".
Finally, the last part deals with the reflection and implementation of specifications for tomorrow's orchard, in the continuity of the work initiated with the Institut National d'Appellation d'Origine (INAO). "Le pommé has demonstrated interesting economic opportunities, these specifications will make it possible to exploit them," according to the community technician.
Source : actu.fr