French fruit production dropping greatly this year

Apple, pear, cherry, apricot, peach, nectarine... The French fruit production went into free fall in 2010. This is in comparison to last year as well as the average of the last 5 years. This is according to the statical service of the ministry of agriculture. This descent can't be explained by the weather.

In the apple harvest compared to 2009 a production decline of 1,657 million tonnes is expected, a decline of 5 percent compared to 2009 and 4 percent less than the last 5 years. The pear production will probably plummet 8 percent to 173,100 this is even 12 percent less than the previous 5 years. Notwithstanding the low prices and the crisis in 2010 the cherry production dropped on average by 17 percent.

The peaches and nectarine production decreased by 10 percent compared to the average, to 320,000 tonnes. The apricot production has dropped the most, 19 percent compared to the five year average. and the production in 2009 was even 34 percent higher.