Agricultural production
Contractual commitment
Bonduelle's ambition is to produce healthy, accessible and quality vegetables with respect for the land. To do this, we are in constant contact with our 3500 planters so that a) we can maintain the quality and yield criteria required for our activity, and b) we can encourage them to limit their impact on the environment. Rules have been established in this vein and in the form of supply charter. This is a contractual commitment which covers the whole agricultural process from seed selection to the harvest. From choice of plot and seeds to crop management, etc. it encompasses all the areas established in the specifications.
87% of Bonduelle's partner manufacturers have signed the supply charter formalised by the group for the first time in 1996. Reviewed in 2011-2012, this charter is evidence of both our continuous commitment in support of farming methods that show respect for the environment and of our social responsibility.
The best seeds
Choosing the best seeds is an essential element of our policy to reduce phytosanitary products. With our French and international partner seed companies, we work towards finding the varieties that are most resistant to diseases, water and climate stress, etc. We also take part in testing new varieties. Several variety tests are being run on our land. Our objective is to produce vegetables that meet Bonduelle's requirements and consumer expectations in terms of taste and organoleptic qualities.
Prevention and support
The first step for monitoring growth and supporting producers is prevention: selecting land, choosing the right plots for the type of vegetable, crop rotation to avoid exhausting the Earth's resources, preserving biodiversity, etc. In 2012, a plot geo-referencing system was launched in order to develop an "agronomic memory" of the cultivated areas. Objective: to assign plants to the right soils. This innovation is an extension of a predictive testing method used on the land (to prevent possible diseases). Within this same vein of anticipation, Bonduelle has created observation networks to detect the arrival of insects and pests on the land.
