Ministère de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation
The most frequently used fuels to supply farm equipment by the Cuma and the EDT are home-heating oil and diesel. Nearly 90% of total energy purchases are made by the EDT, which run the machinery themselves, whereas fuel to run the equipment used by the Cuma is generally supplied by the users.
North of the line that stretches from the Gironde estuary to the Vosges mountains, farmlands— whether cultivated or as grasslands—continue to be more prevalent than natural undeveloped land, woodlands and moors, scrubland or maquis. In the south, natural lands are more common, athough several regions are major farming areas. Undeveloped natural land is predominant in the overseas départements.
In 2010 the revised CAP is applied in France. This reform increases support for breeders of herbivorous livestock and raises the average rate of uncoupled first-pillar subsidies to 87%.
In environmental matters, large-scale establishments are often in the forefront in acquiring anti-pollution equipment. However, in relative terms, investment efforts are greater in smaller firms. Air and climate protection, as well as waste disposal, are increasing. The choice of major interventions is closely linked to the type of activity of the firm.
Spent grain, pulp and cattle cakes from domestic processing of biofuels are increasingly used in formulating compound feed for farm animals. Wheat and its by-products are used less often.
La Réunion and Guadeloupe devote respectively 6 and 4 hectares out of 10 to sugar cane, with over half of their farmers cultivating it. Although smaller in Martinique, acreage progresses. In 2009, the three islands’ five sugar processing plants produced 268,000 tonnes of sugar, and their 22 distilleries 271,000 hectolitres of rum.
The 53 overseas aquaculture firms sell 350 tonnes of fish and shellfish, almost exclusively in their local markets. In 2008, they employ 147 permanent staff, for a turnover of 2.8 million euros.
Despite a decrease in lumber production, the harvest of wood increases in 2009. This paradox is explained by the cutting the timber after the severe storm Klaus. As a result, the harvest of green wood shows a marked decrease.
In seven years, swine farms have opted for corporate status, have expanded and have employed more workers. But farmers are older, and the animals are more often confided to other farmers to raise, which illustrates the difficulties that the sector encounters in restructuring.
The principal changes noted between 2004 and 2008 are : the decrease in domestic water consumption, the increasing number of local government-provided water management services, the narrowing of the price gap between the services supplied by these authorities and the prices charged for those delegated to private water management companies. In addition, increasing inter-municipal cooperation in water provision and treatment, higher water prices due to the greater cost of waste-water disposal, reduced rates of water loss, and development of non-collective public services for waste-water treatment are confirmed.
Ministère de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation