Sweet corn from Neuville: difficult start to the season for cultivators

The popular sweet corn from Neuville should finally arrive later this week in Quebec. Meanwhile, but in limited quantity and several days late due to the weather which gave headaches to the cultivators.

“Spring was very cold and very rainy. Consequently, We had appalling amounts of rain, ”says Claude Dubuc, co -owner of the Dubuc farm on the tip.

Result: the field where it grows the first sowing of the season suffered a loss of yield of around 60%. Meanwhile, which could result in 20 to 25% of loss of income after the year.

Despite everything, he plans to be able to sell his first ears this Thursday at the great Quebec market, at the same price as last year: $ 13.50 per dozen.

“There are increases for us in terms of inputs. seeds and petrol, but we do not pass it on to the customer because times are hard for everyone,” he said.

Retard

Compared to a usual season. Neuville’s corn, characterized by its brilliant color ranging from yellow to ivory, will therefore arrive on stalls with about a week late.

However. the quantities will initially be “very limited” and it will probably be necessary to wait “around August 10” to find them on the tablets of grocery stores, according to Mr. Dubuc.

“But after that, for the Mi-season and late corn, we are stubbling towards a very beautiful harvest,” he predicts, specifying that the quality of the product is in no way affected.

On the JP Farm Côté. the co -owner Janie Côté surrounded the 1^is August as a target date to start distribution in its partner businesses in the region.

“These are monetary losses. We, personally, in fertilizers, in all our cultures, not just for sweet corn [….] With all the big rains we have had. the hail episodes that damaged the fields a little, all the leaching [des champs]it was above $ 50,000 more than we needed, ”she said.

Patience

Isabelle Béland, co -owner of the Béland and daughter farm, hopes to be able to undertake the distribution of her sweet corn towards the end of the week.

“It will be small quantities, but we will start soon, gradually, to have them,” explains the farmer.

“We had a very cold spring, so growth was not done quickly, because it is a vegetable that likes heat.”

Consumers in sweet corn neuville: difficult start new a hurry who decide to go to Neuville could however be rewarded. For example, on Monday, you could already find sweet corn for sale at the local Degau farm kiosk.

“It is a start to the season that will be a little more“ rushant ”than in other years. This spring, we forced the note to sow. The conditions were not perfect, really not, even, ”sighs the owner Gaétan Gaudreau.

It is since 2017 that the sweet corn from Neuville has had its reserved appellation. As of last January, seven companies hold this certification.