Kiwi fruit producers grow three-quarters of their volumes in southwest France, from Lot-et-Garonne to Pyrénées-Atlantiques via Occitanie. And these areas are particularly affected by the effects of climate change. This is evidenced by the succession of heavy rains last winter and severe drought and cold this summer. Then, in recent months, it has been the opposite and the water shortages have become common. This is quite unfortunate, as kiwis consume especially large amounts of water.
The balance of the sector has always depended on the volumes produced in other countries. Today, 1,500 producers harvest this fruit between October and November on a total area of 3,777 hectares in France, according to the National Bureau of Kiwis (BIK), making France the sixth largest producer in the world and third in Europe.
Changing climatic conditions make the equation more complex for kiwi growers, while the construction of rainwater storage tanks is not always viewed favorably in France.
Source: theinformant.co.nz