the essential
The 3rd edition of Organic Week, organized by the Departmental Council and Interbio Nouvelle-Aquitaine, closed this Saturday, November 30, with a farmers' market in the courtyard of the Hôtel du Département. A gloomy atmosphere that only the foggy weather cannot explain.
Around thirty producer stands (mostly producer-processor) and organic companies came together to try to give a dynamic image of the sector. First observation: with the exception of a few, the exhibitors were almost the same as last year. Were these the last diehards who still felt motivated to highlight the undeniable advantages of the sector, whether it be good and healthy production but also short supply chains?
Efforts to promote organic production
In his speech, Paul Vo Van, departmental advisor in charge of rurality and sustainable development, recalled that 14% of the department's useful agricultural land is operated organically by 200 producers: above the national average but until when ? With charges higher than conventional and prices aligned with them, will organic farmers be able to persevere for a long time in their responsible and environmentally friendly practices?
“Over the last two years, the State will have paid more than €5 million to the organic sector in our department,” recalled Cédric Bouet, secretary general of the prefecture. Proof that the sector must be helped to survive. Thomas Breuzet, administrator of Interbio, preferring to emphasize some positive aspects: “our regional structure brings together producers, processors and distributors. We see that organic production is progressing and the desire to consume local is growing. Like these colleges which already use more than 22% organic products in their canteen and which we are going to reward. »
17 colleges labeled “Engaged organic establishment”
The morning effectively ended with the awarding of diplomas to 10 schools which strive to buy organic and local (sometimes quite well above 30%). Ten new colleges, in addition to the seven certified last year, were therefore distinguished. For the urban area, these are the Paul-Dangla and Joseph-Chaumié colleges in Agen, La Rocal in Bon Encontre and Théophile-de-Viau in Passage d'Agen.
Hoping that the smiles displayed by the establishment directors or their chefs will have given some comfort to the organic producers-processors.
Testimonials
Émilie Ligneau – Sain’Biose in Lannes (Nérac) – Cereals, legumes and poultry
Photo – R. B.
“Today, production is made difficult for climatic reasons and marketing is very delicate given the prices which are catastrophic. Organic companies belong to two thirds of the farms which are currently in great difficulty. For chickens, the situation is dramatic: anything organic or labeled red does not sell. It seems to me that consumers don't care about quality but just look for the lowest prices. »
Véronique and Jean-Guy Cabanes – GAEC de Tarticou in Salles (Monflanquin) – cereals
Photo – R. B.
“We cannot offer our pasta in bulk, for less than €5 per kilo. I have just noticed that big brand pasta is sometimes sold for less than €1 per kilo in supermarkets. The fall in purchasing power, but above all the lack of education of consumers who prioritize other areas, including leisure, explains why we have great difficulty selling our products, although they are very tasty. »
Daniel Tapie – Les Récoltes de Toupie in Montesquieu – fruits (persimmon and plums)
Photo – R. B.
“I'm not sure that specialized organic stores play the French organic game. They are buying more and more Spanish productions. It's a bit hopeless and it's especially for young people that it's going to be complicated. This does not stop us from continuing to innovate. We have just released a semi-cooked persimmon, using well-known drying methods for Agen prunes, which seems to appeal to consumers. »
