In France, the trades union for fruit producers of Maine-et-Loire, Sarthe, Vendée and Loire-Atlantique have asked the government to begin proceedings concerning agricultural diasters, according to a report from Ouest-France.fr.
Apple producers in the Pays de la Loire region have reportedly seen their orchards stricken by the April frost and by the heavy spring rain.
'The frost caused the flowers to fall,' said Rachel Vicente of the fruit producer union for Maine-et-Loire, the main fruit-producing department in the region, with more than 200 fruit farmers and 3,000ha of apple trees. 'The cold temperatures have also altered the appearance of the fruit. The damage varies from one plot to the next, but it is a concern for everyone. We are heading towards a weak harvest.'
Should the go-ahead be given, a fact-finding mission will be launched this summer to evaluate the losses.
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