It's been 4 years since Patrick Larèrre of the Farms of the same name began growing ginger, a rare, fresh and 100% organic product. An exception in France! A way of seeing climate change as an opportunity rather than a hindrance: “Ginger needs heat and humidity to grow. However, we are having more and more very hot summers, very mild springs and very warm autumns. Wouldn't this then be an opportunity to try crops that the climate we once knew did not allow us to grow? “.
A confidential but acclaimed production
Thus, 1 hectare of greenhouses on the farm located in the heart of the Landes is now partly devoted to the cultivation of this exotic plant. An area which made it possible to obtain around ten tonnes of organic ginger this year, harvested by hand from November to January. An admittedly anecdotal volume, even more so this year when rainy conditions impacted yields, but which remains highly popular: “Restaurateurs but also supermarkets, specialized stores and processors like it for its freshness, its juicier taste and tasty than a classic ginger, and its carbon footprint is very low. It is a product that is necessarily better valued than Chinese ginger but which is not comparable in terms of quality.” Ginger also received a score of 4.7/5 at the 26th edition of the Concours des Gourmets de France 2023.
The first pots of ginger to grow at homeDespite a conclusive result, the production will remain confidential and will appear on the list of other innovative projects carried out by the company: “It is an exclusive product which requires a lot of resources. Our production will remain confidential, however we are considering other projects. For example, we also took advantage of our ginger cultivation to develop an innovative product: the first pots of ginger to grow at home! We have already sold 1,000 jars this year and we will continue to experiment with this new feature with our partners. The tuberous rhizome of the plant is usually consumed, but, in addition to their aesthetic appearance on sale, the product is so fresh that the stems and leaves are also edible in infusions for example! »
A desire to adapt to climate change
In addition to ginger, Fermes Larrère has also been growing sweet potatoes for around ten years: “It’s a crop that we now master very well. In this context of climate change, continuing to develop a resilient range is a real desire! “Produce in France what comes from far away! » is one of our credos. Climate change is here, it’s up to us to adapt.”
For more information:Patrick Larrère
Larèrre Farms
Domaine du Douc
40410 Lipothey
Such. : +33 5 58 82 39 64
Fax. : +33 5 58 82 39 98
[email protected]
