The Corsican clementine harvest began last week. According to Marina Girard, orchard technician and biodiversity manager for the Terre d'Agrumes - Agrucorse group, the campaign is looking good. "The plots are relatively well supplied. We expect a trend comparable to last year, which was quite positive."
In recent years, Agrucorse has increasingly specialized in organic cultivation. The total area of the group's orchards is about 310 hectares. This year, 102 of these hectares are either organic or in conversion. The organic surface is still growing.
Agroecology
In terms of conventional clementine orchards, the group has conducted a small 50 hectares in agroecology, that is, without the use of chemical insecticides. "We see this as a third way between organic and conventional. The producers who are committed to this path use only organic or biocontrol products, and this all year round. Since these products are milder than chemical insecticides, they require a more thorough technical follow-up. You have to apply them at the right time."
Although the agroecological approach involves more work for the producer, they are the ones who chose to follow this approach. "Our producers are well aware that organic farming is an important issue. Those who follow this technique, do it for the most part only in a part of their orchards. For us, it makes it possible to test agroecology on a set of different terroirs. Even though our production area is quite small, the microclimates change from one region to another," explains Marina.
Challenges every day
A new approach brings new challenges. "Recently, the devil's bug arrived in Corsica, so now we have to succeed in fighting it without using chemical products. We are confronted with new things in this sense every day."
Agrucorse conducted its first hectares in agroecology last year. This year, the number of hectares has increased. "Our producers saw that it was a production system that was feasible and suited them. It's something that is associating itself a bit in the collective consciousness." A related topic is fostering biodiversity. "We have set up trials, devices and tests that are in line with the agroecological approach".
Partnership with several distributors
The agroecological approach is promoted on the shelf in partnership with several distributors. "It will be written on the packaging that the clementines are produced without chemical insecticides, in order to promote them to the end consumer."
For more information:
Marina Girard
Terre d'agrumes - Agrucorse
[email protected]
www.agrucorse.com
