– President Malabirade, in the latest editorial of LA VOLONTÉ PAYSANNE, you say about Madam Minister of Agriculture, Annie Genevard, that “his state of grace will be brief, as the subjects and expectations are strong and numerous”. It seems that this ministerial position is a time bomb…
– We have an agricultural context which is depressive, to say the least, and particularly in the south of France, and in our Gers zone. Due to the succession of bad harvests, the worst harvests we have ever known in the department… so we have a situation that is catastrophic. From this new minister who has the courage to take this portfolio, we expect maximum agility, benevolence, relaxation of the rules so that farmers can pass this milestone… We expect PGE (State Guaranteed Loans) to be able to restart the machine. There are many farms that do not have the means to continue. So we have to bring in cash with a state guarantee… Unfortunately, decisions are slow. And that's what I regret. We were expecting announcements upon his arrival, but today these announcements are dragging on and this is having catastrophic consequences. For example, I know that there are several dozen farmers who did not have the means to pay for their multi-risk insurance which expired on October 31, and who, de facto, will be find without European aid on insurance… This non-decision leads to losses of support on farms…
– Knowing that 70% of Gers cereals are normally sold in Spain, given the poor harvests you were talking about, will this change the situation?
– Commercial flows are something special. We have a lot of Gers cereals which go into animal feed and human food, locally. Because we also have livestock sectors that consume these cereals. And then a certain number go to Spain, yes, because Spain is not far. It is obvious that the fact that there was 20% less wheat planted last year, and in addition to the very low yields compared to the averages that we know, well yes, there is less cereal for sale. Indeed, there will be markets that will not be honored. And what's more, with a qualitative level which is a little depreciated. All that is never good. When we can't serve a customer, it's never good… It will have effects on our cooperatives and our cereal growers who sell directly as well.
– Gers Agriculture represents approximately 906 million euros. With the increase in the “Agriculture” budget at the national level, how will this materialize for the Gers?
– Gers Agriculture weighs 906 million euros, but it fills far fewer plates than before. There is a lot of land that produces less. The passage into bio is not innocent in this situation, land which remains without cultivation, production which has no market… It is something which worries me and worries all professionals. We must find meaning in this production, rediscover the true values of the farming profession, produce food and non-food goods. Today we must see a breakthrough in this direction… There must also be a political framework which allows farmers, despite climatic effects, to continue. I say that the insurance system, today, is not up to par despite its 2023 reform. It no longer meets expectations… We need to review a certain number of political frameworks that support farmers…
– On November 18, in Rio, the G20 will be held. And there is more and more talk of an agreement between the EC and MERCOSUR. This is another cause for concern…
– Of course it worries us every time we are prevented from producing at home and food is imported to us that we do not want. A diet that is not controlled, which is made with products not authorized in Europe. This is what we are contesting in these international agreements. We clearly feel that these are not agricultural trade agreements, they are industrial trade agreements whose currency of exchange is agricultural and food products. And that seems unacceptable to us. If there are to be trade agreements, we want them to only concern agricultural products. If there must be imports, we want them to be produced under the same conditions as those imposed on us at national and European level. This is our demand, and we will not give up on it. This MERCOSUR today is completely unbalanced for the benefit of the automobile industry, aviation and perhaps insurance banking services, with an agricultural currency, on which we authorize ourselves anything… In the name solidarity with Ukraine, we are going to import Ukrainian chickens which are produced in absolutely deplorable conditions, and we would almost be prevented from making chickens that consumers want from our territory…
– In mid-November, major farmers' demonstrations are planned everywhere, particularly in our region. Some are talking about blocking Toulouse. Do you support these farmers?
– Today, the disarray of the countryside surprises no one. That farmers want to express their discontent seems more than natural to me. Afterwards, we must raise awareness without taking citizens hostage. I thought that we must also have intelligence among agricultural leaders, so that we can be demanding, obtain things, put pressure on all elected officials, to win them over to our cause without taking them hostage. We will use the right to demonstrate as much as necessary, trying to gain solidarity and understanding of public opinion, and not put ourselves in opposition to the population.
Comments collected by Jean-Marc RAMEL
