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LE POULIGUEN — HERE After weeks of intense heat and drought have dried up the French countryside, one group has emerged as a reluctant winner. A salt farm in the northwest of Guerande.
Guerande's snow-white fleur-de-sel ("salt flower"), which crystallizes on the surface of the water, is his one of the finest salts on the world market, costing over $100 per kilogram in the United States. It is retailed at
Warmer temperatures and little rainfall in recent months have led to rapid evaporation of brine in the region, resulting in a surge in production.
"We are moving towards record production," said producer François Durand, who has worked for Saltmarsh for over 20 years.
Sea salt production averaged about 1.3 tons per salt pan over the past decade, but this year yields have almost doubled to 2.5 tons, he said.
He acknowledged that he is one of the few short-term winners of climate change while parts of the country deal with wildfires and water shortages.
"Yes, unfortunately," he continued. "Obviously it's good for us."
Known for its changeable Atlantic weather, the region has more than 40 days of uninterrupted sunshine and light winds, which Worker Audrey Royer said there is little rest for those who work in the salt flats. It is an arduous task: Under the scorching sun, workers push wheelbarrows along the narrow mud walls that separate each pot, using methods and tools that have remained largely unchanged for over four centuries, from the bottom of the flat to the sea. Scrape off the salt. The use of machinery in the harvesting process is prohibited.
"Workers are tired," said Mathilde Bergier, a salt producer who owns a local shop. "There's not enough rain in the flat to justify a break."
When the sun finally sets this year's record-breaking season, salt producers in the region warn that if uninterrupted hot weather becomes the norm, all salt You may think about what to do with Some farmers told Reuters they had saved up to cover the next few years.
"Some people have already stopped working this season," Berger said. (Reporting by Yann Tessier, Editing by Richard Lough and Susan Fenton)
