Ministère de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation
Over the last two years, logging companies have cleared away about half of the 139 million cubic meters of the wood that was brought down in the storms at the end of 1999. The greater part of this wood has been removed thanks to public subsidies. Export was also a good outlet.
In 2002, the average farm income fell by 1% in real terms following a two-year rise. It is on the increase in large general cropping farms and cattle farms. The income of breeders of battery livestock declined by one third over the year.
Urban agriculture remains specialised in market gardening and is loosing ground to development. Farms in out-lying areas are resisting well, having lost only 3% of their acreage in 12 years, thanks to the fact that they occupy some of the best grain-growing land.
620 of the winemaking cooperatives employing less than 10 people still make up for 14% of the turnover of the branch. There are still 190 small cooperatives making cheese.
Nearly 120,000 farms use half of the farm acreage and generate 40% of the added value in agriculture. The labour force remains composed essentially of family members.
A weaker increase in farmland prices in 2001. Arable land is up 3.8 % ; pastureland prices are up by 3.6 %, and appellation vineyard by 8.3 %. The price for other vineyards is stable.
Strong selling prices stimulate growth in the turnover of the food processing industries in 2001. Increases in exports and employment slacken in an uncertain economic climate.
In 2001, the increase in prices and subsidies offset lower production volumes. Vineyard income is down.
Studies are longer ; spouses work outside the farms, and housing has become comfortable. But the compositon of farm households changes little.
The current income of the farms in the Farm Accounting Data Network (RICA) fell by 9.0 % in 2000. Farm subsidies increased by 3.9 %, and now represent on average 71 % of income.
Ministère de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation