Manufacturers and producers in the cherry industry announced a recovery plan for the sector which represents €350,000 over 5 years, aiming to plant 150 hectares of cherry orchards in the region. The offer is currently inferior to the demand and the industry has to get supplies from abroad.
Industry cherries are those used in fruit cakes and liquor chocolates for example. 8,000 tons (three quarters of national production) are produced annually in the Luberon region, the Calavon valley and the Durance valley.
However, planted acreage of Bigarreau Napolean cherries, or industry cherries, has decreased hugely. In 2007 there were 1,600 hectares of industry cherries in the region, now there are only 1,000 hectares.
Olivier Charles, CEO of Aptunion, producer of candied cherries, says that there is not enough supply for the industry, “we have to make up with supply from abroad, mainly from Spain. It is not an enormous amount, it represents about 20% of our needs… But I would rather that it was only 5% !”
This recovery plan is financed two thirds by companies in the sector and one third by groups of farmers. Farmers who plant Bigarreau Napoleon cherries will receive €450 to €500 per hectare per year for 5 years, i.e. a total of 350,000 over 5 years.
Eric Ginoux, producer, hopes to make the most of this opportunity as planting new orchards is expensive, “for the first four years it is just costs. As of the fifth year, we have a small harvest, which is manual so as not to damage the trees (…) the sixth year, we do the first mechanical harvest, but it is not beneficiary. It is only 7 years after planting that we have the first real harvest !” And this is all if the weather is favourable of course… even the best of recovery plans cannot guarantee that !