The year is not over, but it is already unheard of. With avian flu, frost, drought and storms, rising prices, there is already enough 120 million euros loss according to the Chamber of Agriculture estimates its president Jean-Philippe Granger.
24 million euros loss with avian flu
The start of the year was terrible for foie gras producers with the serious episode of avian flu. There are 24 million euros loss for the sector and the recovery will be long, says Yannick Frances, the vice-president in charge of this file “We estimate that we only have a third of the ducklings needed for production so we can’t force-feed”. All breeders lack ducklings to resume production “normal”. Yannick Frances is also worried about the avian flu situation which is already picking up in other departments such as Ain or Brittany or Vendée.
45 million euros loss with hail and frost
The frost episodes practically destroyed 100% of plum grower production according to the president of the Chamber of Agriculture, but it also damaged the Bergerac vineyards. The hailstorms then caused very significant damage in the Ribéracois and in the Bergeracois. There is a loss of 45 million euros for around 500 to 800 farmers. The Chamber of Agriculture denounces the aid provided to the State “up to 5,000 euros per farm is nothing” deplores Jean-Philippe Granger. Many farmers are worried about autumn sowing because they no longer have the funds to “start again”.
50 million euros loss for cereal farmers and breeders
The rise in prices and raw materials combined with the heat and the losses linked to the drought represent a loss of 26 million euros for cereal farmers and almost as much for cattle farmers. These are estimates because all farmers have been confronted with both the increase in the price of charges: fuel, electricity, fertilizer but also to the rise in the price of raw materials.
Admittedly, the purchase price increased but it did not fully offset these increases. Farmers have been particularly affected. According to the Chamber of Agriculture, some breeders have no choice but to sell part of their herd in order to be able to feed their animals. “We have lost 9% of the beef cattle herd since the start of the year” explains Yannick Frances “and that was before the heat wave”. Some have even decided to stop everything at the sight of the figures, before being really in difficulty.