In its better years, the Paimpol coconut production could reach up to 10,000 tons, but the year 2020 marked “the smallest harvest in 10 years” with only 4,300 tons. According to Hubert Jacob, producer and president of the union in the defense of the Paimpol coconut PDO, “we have been facing a regular decrease over the past 3 years.” 2020 was a very bad year, especially due to the Alex storm in October 2020 which drowned the crops under 200 mm of water. “The crops were flooded and we lost 10 to 20% of the harvest. The beans were no longer marketable or consumable due to the downpour here,” explains Hubert Jacob who only harvested 50 tons instead of the usual 80 tons. The flies have also contributed to this drop in production as they mostly attack the seedlings in June. “As soon as the weather gets a bit stormy, the flies make their appearance. In 2020, 15% of the production was lost because of them.” And the decrease in the number of Paimpol coconut producers is not helping. “It should become trendy because it is a vegetable protein,” explains Hubert Jacob. “In the current context where meat consumption is in decline, it would be logical.” The producers are currently in the midst of preparing the 2021 harvest. “The spring was complicated because of the cold. May was not much better either, but for the past two weeks, the crops have been on the mend. We will continue to sow until mid-July.” Source - https://www.freshplaza.com