Will there soon be no more French apples in industrial compotes?
This question, directly related to food sovereignty and
“made in France”
, is currently being asked in the context of annual trade negotiations between manufacturers and mass distribution.
Read also: How French fruits and vegetables face foreign competition
To understand the debate, we have to go back to the harvest period.
“
We had a limited harvest this year, much lower than last year.
That created a rarity for the French apple,
”explains to
Figaro
Josselin Saint-Raymond, director of the national association of apples and pears (ANPP).
In question, a lack of cold, a limited flowering and a very late heat wave, at the end of August and the beginning of September.
"
There is a very good quality harvest, but all this has reduced the supply by 300,000 tonnes, or 20% less than last year
", adds Josselin Saint-Raymond.
According to him, some producers have even lost between 30 and 50% of their harvest.
Tense negotiations
This “
scarcity
”, under the law of supply and demand, has led to a rise in the price of apples.
As a reminder, 80% of French apples produced go to the fresh produce markets.
The remaining 20% (especially crooked fruits, too small or too large) go to the compote market.
It is on this secondary market that a "
standoff
" is currently taking place.
To read also: Drôme: the rant of an arborist against pears from Argentina
This year, the manufacturers of the compote sector (Andros, Materne, Charles and Alice, Valade, St Mamet, etc ...) bought their apples from producers or cooperatives 50 to 60% more expensive than last year.
Manufacturers - who then resell their production to supermarkets - would "
wipe out
" this increase if supermarkets accepted a price increase of 1 or 1.5 centime for a small pot, as the association of companies tells us. processed food products (Adepale).
Indeed, the apple does not weigh heavily in the price of the final product.
The latter is determined in particular by the packaging and the margin of mass distribution.
Problem: large retailers are accused by producers and manufacturers of not playing the game in the context of current trade negotiations, which will end in February.
"
The general feeling that emerges is that there are refusals to increase and even requests for deflation
", explains to
Figaro
Christian Divin, Managing Director of Adepale.
"
The large distribution does not want to buy more expensive
", abounds Josselin Saint-Raymond.
Contacted by
Le Figaro
, the Federation of Commerce and Distribution (FCD), which brings together several supermarket chains, tells us that it
"does not wish to speak while negotiations are underway"
.
Joined by email, the Federation of Cooperative and Associated Commerce (FCA), which brings together other brands, did not respond to our requests.
According to producers and manufacturers, large-scale retailers even put pressure on manufacturers to buy their apples cheaper elsewhere, in countries where labor costs are lower (Poland, Ukraine, Serbia, Turkey, especially).
Today, imported apples only represent about 15% of the purchases of compote manufacturers.
If large-scale retailers stand firm by refusing to buy French apple-based products, will manufacturers have to resolve to import foreign apples on a massive scale?
A question of food sovereignty
In any case, the current discussions raise the question of food sovereignty.
“
The challenge is to maintain the production of French apples,
” explains Josselin Saint-Raymond.
“
We have to accept that we produce less in certain years, especially with the vagaries of the climate.
The supermarkets must agree to buy the compote from manufacturers at a little more cost.
Otherwise we will unfortunately continue to relocate,
”he continues.
“We are working within the framework of the inter-professional organization to set up a French apple industry. Within the framework of
the Egalim law
and the charter of fresh and local products, we want these price increases to be taken into account by the entire chain: producers, manufacturers and supermarkets.
The objective is also to better remunerate the producer ”
, estimates Christian Divin.
“
Large retailers can play along and show solidarity.
I have confidence in his responsibility,
”he continues.
Contacted by
Le Figaro
concerning the negotiations in progress, the Ministry of Agriculture has not yet returned to us at the time of writing. Auditioned by the Senate Economic Affairs Committee on November 18, Agriculture Minister Julien Denormandie explained that food sovereignty is
"an essential issue"
.