picking, a winning bet for both buyers and producers

In the Tarn valley, a producer asks for a little help, against a boost in the price of cherries. “We know directly where it comes from”, rejoices a customer. The cherries, produced organically, will cost the pickers only 2 euros per kilo. Overwhelmed by the high temperatures and the rapid ripening of the fruits, the producers no longer hesitate to open their orchards to the public.

In Saffré, in Loire-Atlantique, picking is free three times a week. After strawberries, make way for blackcurrants, currants and raspberries. At 9 euros per kilo and 1.50 euros per tray, fruit costs less than in supermarkets. The three days of direct sales now represent 90% of the farm’s turnover. In Thorigné-Fouillard (Ille-et-Vilaine), Jean-Claude Ferron, producer, decided not to increase his prices despite the increase in his charges. “We could have increased, (…) but [on a] bet on the fact that there would be more customers, and therefore that we would perhaps do more volume”he explains.