Spring frost: Monday and Tuesday will be “the two coldest nights” in April, farmers on alert

Les agriculteurs craignent de perdre leur production. ILLUSTRATION MIDI LIBRE – EVA TISSOT

The nights of Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 April will be the coldest this month and make farmers fear the loss of their fruit and vegetable products.

For several days, the nights have been cool, even cold with the return of frost in the morning. And it’s not over yet. The two coldest nights are expected on Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 April, alert this Saturday 20 April in the columns of France Bleu the vice-president of the FNSEA Jérôme Vollle.

Forecasts which particularly worry farmers, who fear losing their harvest. "We are on the alert" , says on Franceinfo Françoise Roch, president of the National Federation of Fruit Producers (FNPF) and arborist in Moissac, in Tarn- et-Garonne. "Over the next three days, we will be very vigilant".

"A whole year of work can be laminated in a few minutes"

For Jérôme Volle, it's this year's entire production that is at stake: "With the frost, the bud turns black, and from there there is a new shoot that is not fruiting […] C’is actually all a year of work which can be laminated in a few minutes", completes the Ardèche winegrower.

Certain departments have already experienced these episodes of frost since the start of the year, such as Var or Vaucluse. "End of April , we are in danger across all our crops", deplores Françoise Roch.

Because "if’there is very heavy frost, it will have an impact on the quantity of fruit produced", continues the arborist. A situation which could have a direct impact on the prices of fruits and vegetables, which could fly off the shelves this summer.