Ministère de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation
Almost 20% of farms exploited an area of less than 5 hectares or its equivalent in 2000. Often these farms are run by retired people, who raise sheep or horses, produce fruits or practice a diversified farming.
In 2005 current pre-tax results of professional farms decrease by 9.3% without inflation. Drought penalises field cropping. Viticulture and fruit tree cultivation are confronted by serious problems of commercialisation.
The production of raw-milk cheeses is stabilising. It represents only 15.6% of dairy-matured cheese in 2005. However many cheese varieties benefitting from "appellations d’origine contrôlée" (certified origin appellations) are doing well.
In 2004, one third of pig farmers produced their own pig food on the farm itself. Half of them, often the same ones, opted for a two-phase type pig-food which was aimed at reducing nitrogenous waste. Large farms were particularly concerned by these two techniques.
Milk collections grow by 2% in 2005. Despite this increase, collections remain below French production quotas. Nevertheless production of yogurt and dairy desserts increases.
Strong growth in net farm income in 2006 thanks to rising prices. A good year for all types of farm except for wine-growers and sheep herders.
The extension of rapeseed crops to be used for fuel will require shorter crop rotations and will impose choices between industrial and food crops.
In 2005 the prices of arable land increase by 3.6%, and those of meadowlands are up by 2.7%. The land values of cognac and champagne vineyards continues to increase, while other vineyard prices are again on the decline.
Turnover for firms with 20 or more employees grows by 0.9% in the agri-food sector thanks to exports, which remain dynamic. Investment and current accounts are stable. Employment continues to decline.
Quality certification is not common in fruit and vegetable produce. Apart from wine-making, AOCs mostly concern dairy products. The Label Rouge is used mainly for poultry, and the CCP is for other meat products.
Ministère de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation