French fruits more than ever in danger

Will they disappear from our orchards? Apples, pears, peaches and many other fruits are threatened by climate change. By 2030, growing all of its fruits could be very risky in half of today’s areas due to heat waves, frost and lack of rain. Some growers are testing new varieties, others are simply imagining new crops adapted to a warmer summer climate: almond trees in the southwest, figs, pomegranates and persimmons in the southeast, and walnuts and hazelnuts further north.

Productions to diversify

France’s landscapes could change considerably over the next 30 years. This is precisely what a cell of an insurance firm studies, to advise farmers. Yield, a source of concern for fruit growers, could improve in the face of global warming by diversifying crops. “An arborist who only produced one type of fruit will undoubtedly have to diversify his orchard tomorrow to better absorb a specific risk of one year on a production of peaches, apricots or pears”explains Vincent Marchal, agricultural engineer at Axa Climate.