The Origine Cévennes cooperative celebrates its 30th anniversary this year

This year is the year of the cooperative's 30th anniversary, but also of an exceptional harvest. The expected volume is higher than 2020 and rewards the efforts made to rehabilitate the plots damaged after the devastating floods of September 2020.

 

Thirty years ago, in 1991, a few producers decided to create the SICA “Sweet Oignon from the Cévennes”, which later became Origine Cévennes. Today, the Origine Cévennes cooperative brings together 90% of the Cévennes sweet onion producers. This year, the product has good sizes and the harvest is expected to exceed the 2020 harvest by around 100 tonnes.

 

A niche product par excellence, the sweet Cévennes onion is a top-of-the-range product of recognized quality, it is the first onion to have obtained a Controlled Designation of Origin (AOC) in 2003 and a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) in 2008. Sweet Cévennes onion is on sale from mid-August until the end of March.

 

Sweet Cévennes onions are grown on very small plots supported by dry stone walls. These plots are an old production model that allows the cultivation of sweet onions while taking into account the constraints of the relief. From transplanting to harvest, the cultivation of Cévennes sweet onion lasts 3 months and is done entirely by hand. The production area extends to the south of the Cévennes, to the west of the Gard department, over more than 30 municipalities, the epicenter of which is the village of Saint-André de Majencoules, the headquarters of the cooperative.

 

Sweet onions from the Cévennes represent only 1% of French onion production with 2,500 tonnes produced each year. The Origine Cévennes cooperative brings together 70 producers, its market is distributed 55% to supermarkets and 35% to wholesalers. The export is focused on Italy, Switzerland, Benelux and Germany.