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In Charente-Maritime, drought is threatening bouchot mussels, the season of which has just started this week. In question : the decreasing amount of fresh water. Water that is essential for the formation of plankton, the food of mussels. They will therefore be smaller this year, and risk being unsaleable.
Every morning, it’s the same worry for Laurent Hurtaudbreeder of bouchot mussels near La Rochelle (Charente Maritime) : this year with the drought, its cultivation area lacks fresh water, an essential element for the formation of plankton, the food of mussels. Results : mussels are smaller. In total, the entrepreneur expects a loss of 20 to 25% of his production and profit.
The uncertain harvest for 2023 is pushing the boss to impose limited quantities on his customers to hold out until the end of the season. “We, personally, we market until November. There, if we manage to do the month of September, it will be good”testifies Laurent Hurtaud. At the national level, the union of mussel producers expects a drop in the harvest of 30 to 50%. The price per kilo has already increased.