“Here, we stay the course. There is no major catastrophe in organic matters. Of course, there are deconversions, particularly in major crops. But we meet motivated project leaders, who want to make a living from their profession,” notes Irène Carrasco, president of Agrobio and organic plum arborist. For this 13th Organic Month in New Aquitaine, farmers, distributors and processors will share their knowledge in the field and in online conferences (read elsewhere).
This good dynamic is due to several factors: “We are a historic department in terms of the development of organic agriculture. And all the players – the Agrobio associations (at the departmental level) and Interbio (at the regional level), as well as the Chamber of Agriculture – are working in the same direction,” explains Irène Carrasco. In the department, 83% of municipalities have at least one organic producer on their territory.
No angelism
However, no angelism on his part, nor that of the technicians around him: Anaïs Lamantia for Agrobio 47, Séverine Chastaing for the Chamber and Magali Colombet for Interbio. “We see that, in large and medium-sized supermarkets (GMS), organic departments are collapsing. On the other hand, in direct sales (organic markets, Amap), customers remain loyal. And in specialized stores, sales increased by 7%,” they note. In France, the organic farming market represents a turnover of 13 billion euros. It is 4 billion in these specialized stores. “Our advantage, in Lot-et-Garonne, is to have farms on a human scale and a diversity of crops. » As well as a clientele concerned about their health and their diet, with a desire to eat local and seasonal.
Organic farming is therefore not doing badly in the department, even if “we still note a drop in conversions”. And legislative delays are not helping matters. “The Egalim 3 law should be respected before embarking on anything else,” argues Irène Carrasco.
For a month, therefore, all the players and tools in the sector will be in action. “It’s not about telling everyone to go organic. But to allow those who want to get started with knowledge of the facts and with support. »
On the field program
Tuesday, November 5: diversified orchard, from theoretical project to practical implementation, at Vergers du Singla, in Condezaygues, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesday 12: discovery of Marchand d'Appétit, in Port-Sainte-Marie, presentation of the platform and distribution circuits, from 2 to 4 p.m.
Tuesday 19: large organic crops facing climate change, at Pascal Boyer, in Montastruc, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesday 26: produce PPAM (fragrance, aromatic and medicinal plants), at Gaec Neoherba, in Devillac, from 2 to 4 p.m.
Registration required on www.moisdelabio.fr
Online conferences are offered around opportunities for large crops, the viability of short-circuit market gardening farms, etc. Registrations required.
