“In 2021, that’s because I was paying for an entire year! It’s a new blow to the head of Philippe Bréhon, the endivier of Couture, between Lille and Béthune, in the North of France, who received an electricity bill of 162,000 euros for two months on the 10 last March. For many months, chicory production has been in crisis, largely weighed down by the exorbitant price of energy, writes La Voix du Nord.
But for Philippe Bréhon, the biggest bills had so far never exceeded 50,000 euros per month last year. And before the energy crisis, in 2021, his monthly bills did not exceed 21,000 euros. Until this blow. “I don’t know at all how we’re going to get out of this,” says the producer, also president of the Union des endiviers, on behalf of the entire industry, at La Voix du Nord.
Fridges off four hours a day
Because it must be said that the producers have already made efforts. For example, at La Couture, Philippe Bréhon tried to reduce his bill by turning off the large fridges where the roots are stored for four hours a day (during peak hours). “And still, it is worse for some. I have a colleague who has a smaller endiverie and who received an invoice for 180,000 euros. »
The endives were gathered in Arras, in the department of Pas-de-Calais, this Tuesday to try to find solutions. Today, they are asking for a renegotiation of contracts with EDF for those who had to sign at the worst time. “Some who signed up for a contract in September 2022 pay 58 cents per kWh, it is not possible to stop there. They also ask for more explanations and answers when they have questions about the amount of their bill, reports La Voix du Nord.
“Endiviers no longer want to sail by sight. “And the solution will not come from a new PGE (loan guaranteed by the State): “The bills, in the end, we will have to pay them well. One of the only credible solutions to reduce them today would be to install photovoltaic panels. It is now something done recently on the endiverie of La Couture. They should allow a gain of 20%. “But many endive mills cannot be equipped with such facilities,” explains Philippe Bréhon. So how do we do it? »