Agriculture: late potato harvest on the Ile de Ré

Ile de Ré potatoes are harvested at full speed on Sunday 12 June. Sixteen local producers were surprised, at the start of the harvest, by temperatures that came close to -5 degrees. Unthinkable, on an island whose mildness in principle ensures good yields. “The start of the season was complicated, with the frost in April. That made us waste a lot of time. And now, the quantities and yields are there”reassures Romain Canteau, farmer.

The objective of 2,000 tonnes of potatoes for the season will no doubt be revised downwards by at least 20%, and the delay will be difficult to make up for. For the past few days, however, the rates have been sustained. The potatoes converge every day on the Bois-Plage-en-Ré cooperative (Charente-Maritime): 60 tonnes are selected there, washed, packaged and shipped daily. 25 people take turns. In the camps, the rate of 60 tonnes collected per day will still be maintained for two weeks.