At the Perdiguier estate, on the banks of the Orb, “we are reassured”

The Perdiguier estate produces wine and cereals.

On this farm near Béziers, the rains had an immediate impact.

The Perdiguier estate, located near the Tabarka bridge, is well known to Biterrois who go there for wine tastings or exhibitions. Jérôme Feracci farms 25 hectares on the Orb terraces, mainly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, but not only: "Our main activity is winter and spring crops, mainly cereals and oilseeds, on 800 hectares."

Crops for which the rains which fell at the beginning of May, added to those of March, were very beneficial. Even if Jérôme Feracci admits that this is "not enough to raise the water tables", he does not hesitate today’ rsquo;today to display a certain optimism. "The impact on wheat, we saw it straight away. A wheat plant, when it lacks water, begins by losing its leaves, one by one, it limits itself, and in the end we have no more than a single ear per seed instead of 4 or 5."

"The green that returns"

At the start of the year, the phenomenon had already started, causing this culture to already lose up to 20% of its potential. But the precipitation in March and early May has restored the balance: "We can immediately see the "green" who returns, the situation has stabilized". A rain, in addition, ideal, "which penetrates into the ground, without making puddles, nor causing erosion". Nothing to do with last summer, where due to drought, 80% of the harvest was lost.

More good news: for its irrigated crops, it will also be able to count on the Bas-Rhône, because the dams are full: & quot;BRL will be able to supply its customers without problem. But even on these plots, the rain is irreplaceable: "Irrigation, this is never optimal. You have border effects with areas that do not receive enough water, or on the contrary other areas where the sprinklers converge and which are overwatered. The behavior of an irrigated vine and a vine watered by rain have nothing to do with each other."

In short, "the season is starting well, we are reassured. And if we have another 40mm of rain in a month, it will be perfect."