Apple orchards in the French commune of Montauban, in southwest France, were hit by an unexpectedly severe storm last week, leading to significant losses.
Witnesses described seeing a small tornado around 1km wide wreaking destruction along a path of up to 25km, felling trees, ripping apples from branches and damaging the fruit left hanging.
Although the fruit will be covered by insurance, and assistance offered to growers for the replacement of damaged trees, these orchards will be down in production for the next three years, which is a disaster for individual growers impacted.
Exporter Blue Whale estimated that losses could reach 3 per cent of the total crop, a negligible decline, according to export manager Marc Peyres, comparable to the natural variability of the crop during the season.
Blue Whale’s growers are located in four different production areas in France - the southwest, the southeast, the Alps and the Loire Valley - meaning that, for the group, the risk associated with climatic disasters is spread out.
“It is a real advantage in terms of supply,” said Peyres, “and it protects Blue Whale’s business from the consequences of this kind of storm and even from heavy rainfall in the autumn.”
Peyres equally expressed his sympathy and support for those growers affected. “We would like to extend sincere and special thoughts to our growers affected by this really uncommon event,” he said. “Blue Whale will act to support and help our growers in this ordeal. This is also one of the group's main strengths.”
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