Carrot cultivation in France has been declining for years and this trend is expected to continue. Growth is foreseen for organic carrot cultivation. That is what Yannick Chevray of Bejo in France claims in the recently published Bejo root magazine.
Many winter vegetables in France have been under pressure for a long time. Carrots have always been an exception to this trend, but that's over, according to Bejo man Chevray. In the year 2000, the French carrot acreage amounted to 17.000 hectares, last year it was only 13.000. "I expect a further decline in the future. In the best scenario, production will remain stable."
Declining consumption
It's not about the image. "That's still good, but the consumer is eating less fresh fruit and vegetables today. As a result, carrot prices are falling. The growing demand for carrots from the industry, which has half the market share, is not giving the market a boost either."
In any case, the meager prices are not the fault of foreign imports, as French politicians sometimes claim, Chevray says. "An analysis of the market figures shows that the import and export balance is no worse than in the past. It turned out to be even more favorable for France in 2015 and 2016. I attribute the low prices mainly to falling consumption."
Limiting factors
There is growth in the organic segment. About 4% of French production is now organic. Bejo France gets 20% of its turnover from the organic market. That comes close to Germany. Carrots are seen as a booster for organic vegetables in general. There is plenty of space in France. "However, the infrastructure of the processing industry limits the possibilities to grow carrots in less traditional areas."
Another limiting factor is good soil. "The quality of carrots in the Southwest is deteriorating because there is no crop rotation. A common rotation in this area is sweetcorn, carrots, sweetcorn, carrots, etc. This complicates the production of good quality carrots." In addition, there are fewer and fewer chemical agents available due to legislation, which increases the need for new land.
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