In Noirétable, Romain Saint-Joanis is ready for the end-of-year celebrations. It produces fir trees on around twenty hectares in the commune of the Loire, and on around ten hectares also in Puy-de-Dôme. But a little over a month from Christmas, he feels that orders are slow to arrive from his usual relays (garden centers and florists). “We only talk about purchasing power, so we worry about whether the tree will not be a secondary purchase; we are way behind on orders__, it means that our customers have the same fears as us”comments Romain Saint-Joanis.
No immediate impact of the drought
For those who will not compromise on the Christmas tree, there will be a choice, promises the producer from the Loire. Because the impact of the drought does not concern the trees on sale this year. “It weighed especially on the first and second year trees, which are not yet on sale today”he says.
In order to follow the climatic evolutions, with the repeated droughts, the producers of fir trees adapt their production. “We are studying new varieties that are more resistant to drought”confirms the producer of Noirétable.
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