2 years ago, Reitzel France embarked upon its mission to revive the French gherkin farming sector under its brand Jardin d’Orante. In 2018, Reitzel France collaborated with 11 farmers, in contrast to just 2 in 2016 and 5 and 2017.
From Sarthe, Loir-et-Cher, Maine et Loire and Indre et Loire, these 11 farmers joined forces with Reitzel in 2018 to increase gherkin yield significantly in comparison to the previous year, in order to produce more than 500,000 jars of French gherkins. This accounts for 17 hectares of gherkins (around 200 tonnes of which are French gherkins) grown in 2018.
The group’s Indian production subsidiary, Reitzel India, was created in 2005 to manage and ensure a high-quality, integrated gherkin production chain, from the seed to the jar.
Today, our gherkins are grown in 4 agricultural areas, located in 4 southern states of India: Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andra Pradesh, and Telangana.
6000 farmers receive training and advice to improve the efficiency and quality of their gherkin production. More than 100 Reitzel farm technicians implement good farming practices and provide farmers with suitable seeds and fertilisers, respecting sustainable farming principles.
Reitzel India also has its own experimental farms in order to carry out field trials and test the best farming solutions in real conditions before implementing them on a larger scale.