These vegetables were going to go in the trash. Until an association decides to organize a gleaning this Wednesday, May 4.
Good news for organic and local production from two market gardeners from Côtes-d’Armor. While more than 120 tons of leeks were intended for destruction, an association decided to obtain them, thus avoiding the waste of a more than substantial agricultural volume. A destruction of the fruit of their own labor which is explained by the fact that the family farm of 130 hectares of Pierre and Mathieu Adam, converted to organic since 2010, is unable to sell their products at prices which would allow them to live decently. “Today we find ourselves faced with a cost price that no longer even encourages us to take the trouble to harvestsays Mathieu Adam.
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However, organic farming has been experiencing exponential growth for some time in France, driven by a certain consumer enthusiasm for products that, at first sight, are more respectful of the environment and health. According to the Ministry of Ecological Transition, organic represents 200,000 professionals in 2020 [en augmentation de 19% par rapport à 2019] and 9.5% of the agricultural area of the country. The market for French organic products is also the second largest in Europe, just behind Germany. However, this has experienced a marked slowdown since last year. “2021 marks a turning point as organic sales turn around after years of double-digit growthexplains Emily Mayer, consumer advisor at the Institute for Research and Innovations (IRI). This 3.1% drop in sales of organic products between 2020 and 2021 is due, according to her, to several factors. “On the supply side, the number of new organic products has decreased, thus cutting off the sector from a mechanical lever of growth. On the demand side, there is a real crisis of confidence around organic, not to mention the often high price which constitutes a real obstacle.“. Organic agricultural products are, in fact, 40% more expensive than products from conventional agriculture.
An association to the rescue of nearly 120 tonnes of leeks
However, what the two market gardeners mainly denounce is the discrepancy between the price of the products sold on the shelves and the level of their remuneration. “Supermarkets really make too many margins with organicsays Mathieu Adam. “At present, for a kilo of leeks, we are paid between 50 and 70 centimes, whereas we see that in some stores, it can be sold for 4€ on average, or even 6.98€ in some“. Thus, for lack of a price enabling them to be quite simply profitable, the latter were forced to destroy nearly 120 tonnes of organic leeks. “The State must really realize that we are talking about individuals who work more than 90 hours a week and who find themselves forced to throw away their production. If he really wants to develop organic, he will have to act on the margins of department stores“says Mathieu Adam. “In any case, it is essential to make it clear to everyone that organic must be accessible and no longer be considered a luxury product.he concludes.
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However, an association did not hear it that way. La Solaal (Solidarity of Agricultural Producers and Food Sectors), an association based in Plérin (Côtes-d’Armor) and which seeks to “facilitate the link between agricultural sector donors and food aid associations“, proposed to the market gardeners to organize a gleaning Wednesday, May 4. “It is our core business to manage unsold items to give them to associationssays Benoit Ribardière, regional coordinator of Solaal Bretagne. “The farmers thus gave us the authorization to glean the plot whose production was going to be destroyed. La Solaal then contacted the Pommerit Agricultural High School and volunteers from the Food Bank to collect these leeks.explains Benoit Ribardière. Associations, such as the Food Bank or Restos du Cœur des Côtes-d’Armor, will thus be able to benefit from the fruit – or rather the leek – from this harvest in order to distribute them to the most disadvantaged and “to Ukrainian refugees supported by the Food Bank in the department“says Benoit Ribardière.
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