In France, violets did not appreciate the abnormally mild temperatures of September and October. A real test for producers, who are trying to optimize their spaces and exploit differently this flower, which is increasingly threatened by change. climatic.
“Normally, at the same time, there are five times as many!” The observation of Michel Romic, violet producer, is clear. This year, the flower is far too rare for its exploitation. Because to develop, this graceful little plant named after its color needs five degrees at night, and between ten and fifteen degrees maximum during the day. But with the exceptionally high temperatures of recent months, the violets have remained tiny and unusable.
“This year, you see that they are sparse… It’s because heat in September-Octoberand I think it will continue, even get worse.”laments the violet producer, wandering between the rows of abnormally absent flowers.
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At almost two euros for a bouquet of twenty-five flowers, it is difficult for producers to get by with two months of lost harvests. These professionals, who usually start picking violets in October, this time had to wait until the beginning of December. “I pay my expenses, my products, my fertilizers… I have to continue to feed my flowers, and they don’t bring me anything. So obviously, there is a point where things will get stuck”alerts Michel Romic.
Vertical crops for more flowers in the same greenhouse
To optimize his space and production, Jérôme Coche, who runs the neighboring farm, grows his violets on suspended tubes. “As we are on a vertical culture, therefore almost in 3D, this allows us to multiply the surfaces by four in the same greenhouse”details the producer interviewed in the report at the top of this article.
He also dedicates more than 90% of his harvests to confectionery, his specialty being crystallized violets. The finished product sells for around fifty euros per kilo. “Confectionery has allowed us to have better added value compared to flowers, and to have a slightly more serene future for the production of violets”confides Jérôme Coche.
Sweets which, unlike fresh flowers, can be preserved and sold all year round. For bouquets, peak sales occur at Christmas and Valentine’s Day, two crucial events, but more than ever threatened by climate change due to human activities.
MT | Report Julien Garrel, Didier Laborde
2024-01-13 21:28:44
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