In Aude, the resilience of businesses despite crises

“The Aude economic fabric is resilient.” Anne Morize, director of the Banque de France, made this observation this Wednesday during the presentation of the latest trend survey and 2024 forecasts reviewed at mid-year for Occitanie, with a focus on Aude indicators. She was accompanied by Marie Nicolau, departmental director of Urssaf and David Pessarossi, departmental director of public finances of Aude (DDFiP). “There is an adaptability of companies as events evolve” confirmed the first. While the second mentioned figures “pretty good” despite a slight decline compared to 2023.

If regional activity “efficient residence” in October, the outlook is “more uncertain” said Anne Morize. The summary of the survey carried out among Occitanie businesses at mid-year highlights growth forecasts which are rather respected despite a significant proportion (nearly 30%) of downward revision of the level of profitability .

The agricultural sector is suffering

For Aude, business insolvencies stand at +13.38% at the end of August 2024 over a rolling year. But the Aude curve remains behind that of Occitanie (+ 22%) and France (+ 24.5%). On the other hand, over the first eight months of the year, the DDFiP notes “revenue growth of 9.5% compared to August 2023”. But a figure to be credited to the department's large companies (“an increase in turnover of 18%”) while the turnover of the SME/VSE sector shrinks by 2.1%. In the agricultural sector, the declared turnover remains the same in 2024 and 2023. “Taking into account inflation, it is therefore a drop in real value that the agricultural sector is recording”specifies the director of the DDFiP. The sector accommodation and catering is doing well with “growth of 5% at the end of August. This sector reaches a level never reached before and which far exceeds the level of inflation.” On the other hand, the construction sector is suffering. “The year 2024 will witness a violent retraction with a decrease in the figure of almost 10% over the period studied.”

For its part, Urssaf points out that “the number of employees in the private sector fell by 0.7% in the second quarter of 2024 in the Aude department”. “Over one year, from June 2023 to June 2024, the workforce contracted by 0.6%, or 500 positions lost. Aude suffered, with Tarn, the largest decline over one year in Occitanie”notes director Marie Nicolau. Workforce numbers are falling particularly in construction and accommodation and catering. However, the payroll subject to contributions continues to increase in the second quarter of 2024 in Aude. And the average gross salary per capita has increased by +2.8% over the last 12 months. It goes from €2,246 to €2,304 in one year.