Plum harvest: weather has impacted production volume

According to initial feedback from producers to the Interprofessional Prune Bureau, the 2025 harvest is expected to be smaller than last year, but with larger and sweeter fruits.

Since the beginning of August, in the 750 plum orchards, the vast majority located in Lot-et-Garonne, harvesters have been spreading their fans. Plum growers have entered the most intense period of the year, despite the intense heat. The Interprofessional Prune Bureau (BIP) is expecting a more than average year in terms of volume: "Two climatic periods affected the fruit," explains Gaëtan Vergnes, secretary general of the BIP. "The heavy storms in May and June, which brought hail to certain areas, impacted the fruit. And all these damaged plums, if they are going to be harvested, will be used for prune-based products, such as cream or juice. The problem is that these plums are bought cheaper by the kilo."

The intense heat of July and August also played a harmful role: "The heat stresses the trees," continues Gaëtan Vergne. "They then hold the fruit on the branches to draw moisture from them. Not only is there a risk of the plums wilting, but also a more difficult harvest, with the need to force the plum tree harder to make them fall." This phenomenon obviously affects irrigated orchards less. The intense sunshine and intense heat also raise fears of sunburn, which is fatal to the plums, which then fall to the ground: "We don't pick them. The labor to do it is too expensive and we can't find it anymore."

The BIP therefore expects a smaller harvest in volume than in 2024, which, with its 30,500 tonnes, including 26,700 in PGI, "was already mediocre compared to the historical average of the sector," emphasizes the secretary general. On the other hand, for intact plums, we expect large, very sweet fruits." A vintage which therefore promises to be tasty for the year, signaling the return of the Agen prune to the small screen via an ambitious advertising campaign.