“We started harvesting the sweet onion of the Cevennes at the beginning of August, and the sales began on Monday,” explains Carl Grandidier, commercial representative at Origine Cévennes. Although Carl claims to be satisfied with the quality obtained, the heatwave at the beginning of the summer did not spare the production, just like a number of other cultures. “The quality is there, but we lost a bit in caliber with the hot weather in June and July. Some producers even ran out of water because the little amount of rain that fell in the spring was not enough to replenish the basins.”
These weather conditions will probably have an impact on the production volume, but Carl still estimates that the yields will be better than last year. “The producers are currently harvesting so we still have reduced visibility on the final volumes. We will inevitably lose a little compared to a normal season. I hope to reach 2,300-2,500 tons, which is still more than last year when we obtained 1,950 tons.”
Origine Cévennes sells 90% of its sweet onion production on the French market. “Prices are quite good, this early in the season. We will see later on if the situation persists. Depending on the quality, caliber or category, we sell the onion between 1.20 and 3.50 euros per kilo [0.61 and 1.77 USD/lb].”
Created in 1991 by some 30 producers of sweet onions of the Cevennes, Origine Cévennes now counts about 20 employees and 80 producers, for an average of 45 hectares of crops and 2,500 tons of harvest.
Over time, the company has developed around values advocating a strong attachment to the land and the desire to produce a quality product. It is how the sweet onion of the Cevennes obtained an AOC in 2003, and an AOP 5 years later. Cultivating this onion presents a number of challenges but remains nevertheless atypical, especially thanks to the landscape shaped by these small terrace crops.
For more information:
Carl Grandidier
Origine Cévennes
Route de Valleraugue
30570 St-André-de-Majencoules
Phone: +33 4 67 82 50 64
Mobile: +33 6 79 29 49 11
[email protected]
www.oignon-doux-des-cevennes.fr
