According to Agreste, on the 1st July, the 2016 cherry harvest was estimated at 35,400 tons, down 16% compared to 2015 and 11% compared to the five year average.
Summer fruit production had already been effected by the mild winter, and this further decrease is now due to the rain. The effect of the Drosophila Suzukii fly, which can no longer be controlled with Dimethoate, has been secondary in the decrease in production, notably in the Drome region.
The decreased production has led to an increase in prices, in June they are 25% above those of June 2015 and 30% above the five year average.
Apricot and peach production is also lower than in 2015. The Minister has announced the apricot harvest to have plummeted by 30% compared to last year, to 111,300 tons. Peaches have suffered less, decreasing by 5% with total production reaching 206,000 tons. The Rhone-Alpes is expected to have lost 47% of their apricot production, due to the mild winter and hail. The rain is to blame for the decrease in production in the Languedoc-Roussillon.
In June, peach prices were 6% above those of 2015. An increase in temperature at the end of the month led to an increase in demand. Apricot prices are 12% above the five-year average. The Minister mentions “the Spanish competition with their new varieties could effect the French product’s position just as much on the internal market as at export”.