“We will need supermarkets until the end of June”

May was a complicated month for French strawberries. Supply was low due to the rainy weather and cool temperatures. "Compared with previous years, we did not reach our forecasts at all. This season is characterized by a much more spread-out rise in volume and a gentler drop," explains Emeline Vanespen, director of Strawberries and Raspberries of France.

The absence of a production peak usually means a longer season. "This lower supply at the height of the strawberry season will stretch the campaign with significant quantities until at least the end of June, while we generally see a drop in volumes from mid-June onwards. We are now hoping that production will gradually pick up over the next month. The Gariguette is currently in a production dip, but volumes should increase again at the beginning of June."

This situation could prove problematic for the campaign, given that both French consumers and retailers are more likely to turn to summer fruit later in the season. "This year, despite the lower supply of French strawberries, supermarkets have played their part by promoting the French origin. We still need them to leave room for French strawberries on the shelves for two weeks longer than in a normal season, as we are likely to obtain larger volumes at the end of June."

In terms of quality, however, the warm spring temperatures of this spring season have led to very good results.

The French raspberry campaign has begun
Regarding raspberries, the first French volumes were marketed mid-May. These volumes are still "fairly confidential", as not all production basins have started yet. It is difficult to find a place for raspberries on supermarket shelves with such low volumes, especially alongside Moroccan raspberries. Yet, the French origin should rapidly gain ground for a season that will last until the autumn.