At Thierry Lanson, arborist in Saint-Hilaire-Saint-Mesmin, the cherry capital of Loiret, harvest time has come. This year, the fruits are abundant and of good quality, unlike last year when the harvest was almost non-existent due to frost.
But the pickers are not there. “We are around twenty permanent staff and we are up to 45 for picking, I have already found around fifteen people, but I am still missing a few, whereas before we recruited very easily”, explains this farmer. , which cultivates 14 ha of cherries.
Since the Covid, the situation has changed radically. “Seasonal workers have gone to other sectors,” adds Carine Morin, FNSEA 45 union official. “Amazon, for example, gave us a lot of competition. And word of mouth doesn’t work anymore.
Up to €2,000
In orchards, pickers usually work eight hours a day and are paid by the task – by the bucket – with a guaranteed minimum wage. But the salary can go up to more than 2,000 euros for the best performers. “In addition, working conditions have improved, it’s easier,” argues Thierry Lanson. “We don’t raise much anymore. In addition, on a good part of the operation, we no longer use a ladder and we pick from platforms. »
In total, the sector is urgently looking for 250 seasonal workers to pick cherries around Orléans, between June 10 and the end of July. And we can already feel the concern emerging for the picking of apples and pears, which also risks running out of hands in the fall.