Drought in France: Supermarkets to stock 'ugly' and smaller fruits and vegetables

French supermarkets are preparing to stock smaller and less visually appealing fruits and vegetables as successive heatwaves and drought severely impact crop production across the country. The Federation of Commerce and Distribution (FCD), representing major retail chains, has committed to a more flexible approach regarding product quality standards.

In a statement released Tuesday, the FCD announced that supermarkets will be more tolerant of variations in size and appearance. This move aims to support farmers facing difficult conditions and ensure that produce, even if imperfect, can still reach consumers. The federation emphasized its commitment to prioritizing French-origin products within this pragmatic framework.

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Concretely, fruits and vegetables usually considered too small or with a degraded visual appearance may join the shelves more easily.

Retailers are responding to a call from the Minister of Agriculture, Annie Genevard, who urged solidarity from the distribution sector. Farmers have reported significant yield reductions, with some experiencing losses of 25% to 50%, and in some cases, up to 100% of their usual output. This scarcity is already affecting market prices.

Data from FranceAgriMer and the Rungis market show price increases for cherries and cucumbers. In the week of June 29 to July 4, farm-gate prices for these items rose by 7% and 8% respectively, coinciding with the third heatwave. In supermarkets, the inflation for French tomatoes and cucumbers reached over 30% during the same period, highlighting the immediate economic consequences of the ongoing drought.

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Yields are down 25% to 50% of usual production, or even 100%.