2024-03-03 13:31:57
We remember “Eat apples!” », the slogan of Chirac from Guignols on Canal +. For Jean-François Giraud, farmer in Chauchet in the Creuse, it would rather be “Buy apple trees!” “. He decided to sell the 7,000 apple trees from his farm at knockdown prices: 10 euros each. He, whose family has been based on these lands since the 11th century, is in fact preparing to retire. The farm will be passed on to his son but the latter will only take care of the dairy cows and the biomethanization installation.
“My son has a lot of work and also wants to spend time with his wife and little daughter. A choice had to be made. He preferred to stop apple production, which is time-consuming, with ever-increasing health requirements. And every year we have difficulty recruiting seasonal workers locally. » Since its announcement in December, the modest sum has attracted individuals to its plot every day. “An apple tree normally sells for between 50 to 100 euros,” assures Jean-François Giraud. The money just goes to pay for diesel and rental equipment to uproot the trees. »
In the orchard, where direct sales have always been practiced, the inhabitants of the sector know the quality of the production. “They know that our apples, which grow at an altitude of 500 m, are fruitier and sweeter than others in Limousin. We have also received requests from people from other regions such as Normandy! » is surprised by Jean-François Giraud. For the arborist, selling his fruit trees is no longer heartbreaking. He knows they will have a second life. “It warms my heart to know that they are going to be planted elsewhere and that individuals will continue to eat these apples. »
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