Ministère de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation
The cost of water can be double the price depending on the department and increased by 8% between 1998 and 2001. The public service sector for water is gaining ground since it reorganized on an intercommunal basis. Private management supply of drinking water is developing.
Electronic sales make up 20% of the turnover of the farm produce industry. They are practically all made through computerized data exchange networks. The Internet is used principally for firms’ electronic purchases, although these remain far inferior to the sales.
Farming income seems to be stable on the whole for 2003. Favourable prices and aid allocated for farming disasters offset the effects of the drought on the harvest and the loss of hay. Only appellation wine growers’ income dropped significantly in 2003.
Pest control treatment goes alongside an increase in yield. From 1994 to 2001, crops were treated more often and product mix was more frequent but much of the active matter in the annual dose per treated hectare was reduced.
In 2002, the dairies took in 204 million litres of organic milk but their organic dairy produce reached its limits or regressed.
In order to adapt to regulations, the farm produce industry’s priority was to invest in water treatment. Preventing pollution has become a more and more important issue.
Prices continued to rise in 2002. The rate for plough land increased by 4.1%, for grassland by 3.4% and for non-appellation vineyards by 3.3%. However, there was a slow down in growth in appellation vineyards and prices rose only by 3.1%.
Farm produce industries use the internet to access services or display their catalogues but use it little to offer commercial services. Certain sectors are in need of specific data processing tools.
The turnover of concerns of 20 or more employees has increased by 1.9% in the food produce industry while it has shrunk back in the rest of the industry. There is a marked improvement in current results. The level of investment is maintained and employment continues to increase.
More that 3 600 concerns produce about 90 types of essential oil, aromatic and medicinal plants on 33 000 hectares. Lavender and hybrid lavender cover 60% of this area and medicinal poppy covers 20%.
Ministère de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation