Unseasonably cold weather since the start of the year has had a large and varied impact on the production and consumption of fresh produce in many parts of France.
The temperature in Brittany tumbled to as low as –4oC, while other regions of the country experienced temperatures of –10oC or –15oC.
In Brittany, according to Emmanuel Descloux of vegetable marketer Prince de Bretagne, demand for field crops, such as peppers, potatoes, carrots, cabbage and cauliflower, has increased thanks to the cold weather.
“There has also been a drop in availability of most crops due to either picking problems, frozen ground or a slowdown in the growth of the plant,” he says. “The combination of the drop in availability and the rise in demand has led to an increase in prices.”
In some areas, the chilly weather caused havoc with the transport of fruit and vegetables, thanks to blockages caused by the snow and frost. In Marseille, an unseasonable snowstorm succeeded in blocking the port, as well as the whole town, for two whole days on 7-8 January.
Brittany largely escaped any transport problems, since its route between Brittany, Paris and Germany was mostly unaffected.
“The Italians have suffered worse than us,” continues Mr Descloux, “which explains why they were unable to take market share away from us while our prices were starting to soar.”
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