in Nice, traders are worried about the shortage of chickpeas

In Nice (Alpes-Maritimes), Socca, a tender and crispy golden pancake, is a delight for consumers. However, it could disappear. With the war in Ukraine and under the effects of global warming, a shortage of chickpeas is announced. “We work as in time, and it is not tomorrow that we will change the recipe. No Chickpeas, No Socca“, says Sophie Mekersi, a saleswoman.

Here, we respect the traditions: a wood oven, olive oil, water, salt, and especially chickpea flour. In this kitchen, we use more than 20 kg per day. In France, 8,000 hectares are used for growing this pulse. All of them are concentrated near the Mediterranean, in a Var farm. Jules Rebuffel produces two tonnes of chickpeas per year. “It needs water, sun, and heat“, he explains. Once sorted, the grains are sold on Provençal markets. In the long term, the French harvests will not be sufficient to meet the needs. World production has fallen by 20%, and prices fly away.