France’s total acreage in clingstone peaches currently breaks down as follows: 
Region and Department Acreage 
Languedoc: Acres 
ByrencosOrientales tats io ote Neier teckel ol ore felicia lo Meueitene"s\'s) 6) 14 (airs 988 
ETE rail tame cee esac tes eed rem otlowelis boa orette: © altace: elie erisibayhe Xs 247 
er ae i oe Oe face eget IRS NG uaus'ons aloe late 2,471 
(OVInG? Sb aiglo es oer a ole bin acto So 6 ig oto Clee Gea od alone aronce clones 20 
Tae ee ee re ee re ee) eet 3,726 
Provence-C6te d’ Azur-Corsica 
Bouches-du-RhOne ee yo oak ae einiekiess, che ae.« xonenenaciet eo Tehers ie sheets Guebie 121 
GCOLSICA eee eailew or Pewee ou ow enon ouen Chteier oiebtoive ey ehiehnetlours gre) lapeten ot owrayerte 494 
Othermre regs. tok ete len culetonelcren dower shiek Si fotons. susie c aN SUE voters: etait 10 
= Otal waa ed ee een oo reiterate) ai"sMalnsras ene wen eval egies Gaus rete 625 
RiiOne-Alpes h Aiews ee  e s Oe ee ee Dae wee ene ee wees 47 
OU ere cap step rev euloetevter te jetisise : Be CL OTROS EOL ORC OL CACC Ln ORCS 91 
Motalthranceecreuchatncucrs cus casas oksleeie lomemelsneusiicueus cvs is" enlo 4,489 
Grower costs and income 
The cost of establishing and operating a commercial orchard varies with the size of the orchard, commodity, 
locality, financing, and other factors. Relative size is smaller in Pyrénées-Orientales than in Hérault and Gard. 
Agricultural credit is reasonable in both areas. Interest rates range from 3 percent on long-term credit for land 
purchase to 5 percent for short-term production credit loans. Current wage rates paid seasonal agricultural workers 
are a minimum of 60 cents per hour plus social charges. Fruit pickers are paid on an hourly basis rather than by 
piece work. 
The costs of establishing a bearing peach orchard in Gard are reported to run $400 per acre in planting and 
$860 per acre in bringing the orchard into bearing. A breakdown of costs follows: 
Item Cost 
Dollars 
per acre 
Soil@analysispememencncu cs) -) cieciicuiemoite (eect elle nen arerietoh's 9.80 
Land preparation’ © © = 3,5 oi = +. 0% 6 2 2 ele oe ws 52.90 
Fertilizerapplication «=< <1. - «se 6 we ms ols owes 28.50 
Organic fertilizer --- +--+ +e eee ee eee ee eee 48.80 
Chemicallfertilizent <1 01s) oe o) a ere etre bolic 1s hte) ls eo ce 92.80 
Soiliconditionersieweponowe | ces etrel cetes ewieme! tolls et eteot cl “s 12.20 
Wayoutandiplanting memati ceencunctc! ite tel et oltetre =. fe el etl ey be 48.80 
pbrees #2 Su OS OUSGremeeactoer cy site cl feiewrone fe islet ets. so) our 105.80 
MOLalG terrane <eucir st siete, ios is sy epasses. wl suieh sve, Usher ics 399.60 
Source: Le Pécher, Direction Departmental de I’ Agriculture du Gard. 
Historically , grower returns have been determined by the important fresh market, while processing has acted as 
a salvage outlet. Varieties more suitable for processing, particularly clingstone peaches, are now bringing a premium 
over other fruit in the processing outlet. 
