Processing 
Piants 
The eight canneries in Pyrénées-Orientales have capacities ranging from 2 to 13 tons. Most are old and in- 
capable of expanding production substantially without initiating programs of plant modernization. Several 
cooperative canneries include fermentation and distillery operations housed in separate buildings on the premises. 
These facilities are utilized in dessert wine production after the canning season is completed. Only grapes are used in 
distillation. Two small cooperatives have recently merged and plan to begin construction of a modern 
cannery-distillery complex in 1969. 
Five canneries with a planned total capacity of 220,000 tons of fruits and vegetables are located in the Herault 
and Gard area. The plants are new, modern, well equipped, and seemingly efficient. They range in size from 
approximately 92,000 to 110,000 square feet of floor space. The three largest, two privately owned and one 
cooperative, have a planned final production capacity of 44,000 to 55,000 tons each. 
A new cooperative cannery to serve Corsica will be opened 21 miles south of Bastia. Planned final capacity will 
be slightly smaller than that of the plants in the Herault and Gard area. The plant will handle all fruits and 
vegetables, but the pack is expected to be largely clingstone peaches. 
Processing costs 
Processing costs vary with size of plant, equipment, and commodity canned. Labor costs are rising. The 
current minimum rate for unskilled workers is 60 cents per hour plus social charges equal to 50 percent of the wage 
rate, an increase of 15 percent from the pre-June 1968 minimum level of 52 cents per hour. Line workers receive 72 
cents per hour. Wages are based on a 40-hour week, with a 25-percent differential for the first 8 hours of overtime, 
50 percent for over 8 hours overtime, and double time for Sunday. Material costs are reportedly comparable to those 
found in other countries. 
Canned fruit pack 
Production of fruit canned in syrup has only recently become important in the French processed fruit 
industry. The total amount of fruit canned in syrup (including berries and chestnuts) increased from 490,000 cases 
in 1955 to 2 million during the 1967 season. Although 1968 production of canned peaches totaled only 340,000 
cases, the government’s encouragement of clingstone peach plantings and the shifting of the processing industry to a 
newly developing area is expected to shift a substantial portion of future packs to clingstone peaches. 
The total pack of fruit compotes increased from 245,000 to 1,380,000 cases and that of jams and jellies from 
2,350,000 to 2,900,000 cases. Production of water-packed fruits totaled 225,000 cases during 1967. 
French Production of Canned Deciduous Fruit in Syrup 
Prelimi 
1963 1964 | 1965 a 1966 | 1967 TOReEEE 
1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 
cases cases cases cases cases cases 
24/2% 24/2% 24/2% 24/2% 24/2% 24/2% 
Apricots tecane seecieeiae 227 53 207 110 230 190 
Cherries". ij. ct orate: 202 183 229 298 382 e 
Bruiticocktail .qsiieneeen: 30 12 31 13 82 ¢ 
Fruitisalads sere eee 280 330 383 520 415 (2) 
Peaches ine cccvets erp 298 242 265 264 321 340 
PEATS Lh We tists oie 195 160 161 269 322 () 
Plum sissies teen erectanr ate 522 179 761 311 206 440 
Totalss vic. eee 1,754 1,159 2,037 1,785 1,958 (1) 
Not available. 
Source: Statistique Agricole and Federation Nationale des Syndicate de Confituiers et de Conserveurs de Fruits. 
