It was a big source of concern for arboriculturists and winegrowers in Loiret: what damage to production after the wave of frost that hit France at the beginning of April? After one catastrophic year 2021 (80% loss for example on the hillsides of Giennois), many feared to relive the same episode. The damage is finally relatively limited in the department. There should be between 20 and 30% losses overall on arboreal production according to the president of the Chamber of Agriculture.
Limited damage
Three weeks after the passage of the frost wave, the President of the Loiret Chamber of AgricultureJean-Marie Fortin, is able to draw up an initial assessment: an assessment “rather reassuring (…) finally things are going better than expected. All the arborists who have been able to protect their crops by sprinkling [de l’eau qui arrose les cultures, et permet de protéger les bourgeons en formant une coque de glace protectrice autour] ultimately have very little damage. Those who have not been able to protect their crops, for the early varieties, have losses of around 50%, and for the latest varieties losses of 20 to 30%. So it’s true that it has nothing to do with last year“.
Among winegrowers, the observation is shared. “The first trend is rather encouraging. I think we lost between 5 and 10% of buds, but overall it’s the buds that are leaving everywhere, the vines that are leaving” explains Valérie Deneufbourg, winemaker in Cléry-Saint-André. “We consider ourselves happy“adds Mickael Guérot, who owns 4 hectares of vines in Beaulieu-sur-Loire.”It’s true that it still froze quite hard, and we expected a little more breakage“explains the producer.
“psychological anguish”
Admittedly, the losses will be limited, but this does not prevent: this wave of frost has created lots of stress and anxiety among producers:Psychologically, it’s still a disaster for these people who always have to endure the uncertainty of the climate. Late frosts, we know that we risk having more and more. Everyone must be aware of the anguish for arboriculturists to experience these moments, because it was four days of surveillance every night; it was the anguish for fifteen days to know what the gel was going to give“explains Jean-Marie Fortin.