“With our new logo, Fruits & Légumes de France, we are demonstrating how proud we are to be economic stakeholders in this country,' said Jacques Rouchaussé, president of Légumes de France, which held its 59th congress in the southern French town of Perpignan on 19-20 November.
However, Rouchaussé made it clear that change was vital if French vegetable producers were to survive, as was national support for the sector.
For 2016, the goal of the group is to highlight the French origin, according to La France Agricole. 'This information is vital for consumers to be able to support their country's businesses,” he said. “We are relying on each link in the supply chain to play its part and put the logo on display.”
Vegetable producers would also like to see the back of the unmarked plastic boxes favoured by many retail chains, since they hide the product’s identity.
Beyond the origin, producers want to see an increasing focus on the taste of vegetables, which must be consistent in order to avoid disappointment.
“When consumers enjoy a product, they buy it again,” said Laurent Bergé, president of the national producer association for tomatoes and cucumbers. “This is the best promotion we can possibly make.”
In order for tomatoes to reach the consumer at the optimum level of quality, they must not be stored below 12°C, said Bergé. “Otherwise they lose their taste,' he explained.
Prices for 2015 reportedly beat previous years for the majority of producers, but, according to Rouchaussé, continued to disappoint overall. “We have returned to 2008 levels,” he said, “while costs have continued to rise. Average vegetable prices on the shelf have also fallen for the past three years. We need to end the price war. Retailers must accept that they need to sell at a slightly higher price in order to better remunerate the producers.”
