Agriculture represents one of the important bases of the French economy. This is evidenced by the figures revealed during the agricultural show held in Paris in 2018, which place France in first position among the agricultural countries of the European Union with 73 billion euros of production during the same period. year. To get to this point, several factors were brought into play. In fact, we offer you an overview of the key figures in French agriculture.
How many farmers are there in France?
France is today on the podium of the best agricultural countries in Europe, and it also owes this merit to its farmers. Unfortunately, their numbers have declined considerably over the years. In 2017 for example, according to the MSA (Mutualité Sociale Agricole) censuses, there were more than 453,000 heads of agricultural holdings, whereas in 2016 the figures showed 462,000 agricultural operators. A worrying decline which was confirmed in 2018 with around 412,040 farm managers setting the rate of reduction of farmers (companies and farm managers) at minus 1%. Worse, the Mutualité Sociale Agricole drew attention to the fact that the number of farmers experienced a drop of 13.6% over a period of 10 years, i.e. 477,194 in 2008 for 412,040 farmers in 2018. The reasons mentioned to justify this state of affairs are the growth of urbanization and forests, the increase in the average size of cultivable areas… Furthermore, in 2018, climatic conditions (summer drought) had a negative impact on cereal yields, fruits and vegetables. This situation has undoubtedly not prevented ProNatura, a fruit and vegetable wholesaler , from supporting its organic producers by assisting them technically in crop management and harvest organization.
Farmers’ wages
Many people still wonder if agriculture is an activity that brings wealth. Peasants are generally singled out for being people with a standard of living below the poverty line. However, according to the latest news, the sector would allow his man to earn a decent living. Indeed, a French farmer would earn on average 2,530 euros as monthly income according to data published by INSEE (national institute of statistics and economic studies) in 2018.
What is the surface area of ​​arable land in France?
The surface area of ​​cultivable land refers to all agricultural land used and declared by farm managers for the implementation of their production. It includes land intended for large crops, artificial meadows, areas with high vegetation, vineyards, gardens, etc. As such, statistics show approximately 28 million hectares reserved for agricultural activities on French territory while the total area of ​​the country is 55 million hectares. In short, in France, agriculture reigns supreme throughout the land.
How important is the organic market?
Between France and organic, there is a real love story. More and more French people are turning to the consumption of organic products. Indeed, according to statistics from Agence Bio, a French public group carrying out an inventory of the sector, nearly 7 billion euros were spent by consumers in France for the purchase of organic food in 2016. This figure obviously led to an increase in organic operators during the same year. Thus, the French territory now registers 47,185 organic operators, with details of 32,326 organic farmers and 14,859 people who work in the processing and distribution of organic products. The organic market in France is therefore undeniably booming, as evidenced by the 5 figures which show the explosion of organic in France .
The enthusiasm for organic products in France can be explained by the fact that the products come from environmentally friendly agriculture. In addition, by consuming products from organic farming, you are opting for a healthy diet that preserves your health, since the products contain a low level of pesticides and heavy metals. And if you can’t get organic fruits and vegetables on the market every day, you can create a vegetable garden in your garden and enjoy the good fruits and vegetables that will come out of it.
