Carrefour is taking action to support the development of the French organic almond sector

Every year in France, more than 40,000 tonnes of almonds are consumed, and 98% of them are imported. As a company committed to promoting French, locally-grown produce, Carrefour has entered into a partnership with the La Melba cooperative, which brings together almond producers from the Pyrénées Orientales region, supporting them as they switch over to organic farming methods, so it can sell a France-produced alternative in its stores.

Through this move, the retailer is helping to create and develop a French organic almond sector. And it is committing to prices and minimum volumes over at least three years, which will provide the five producers making up the cooperative with both security and a long-term overview as they get started with the conversion process.

During the conversion period, the way in which the almond trees are grown will meet organic farming specifications. This three-year phase is essential – it enables the farm’s soil and biodiversity to regenerate. And yet, it is an economically difficult period for farmers: during this time, they are not allowed to use the “organic” label on their produce, even though the changes that they are making to the way in which they grow their almonds are costly. That’s why Carrefour is there for them, supporting them during this transition.

Ultimately, over the next three years, the number of hectares of organically-grown almonds will increase by a factor of five thanks to this conversion process – it will increase from 3 ha in 2020 to 17 ha in 2024.

Almonds grown during the conversion period are already available in 14 stores in south-eastern France. And the first certified organically-grown almonds will arrive over the next few months.