Does Lot-et-Garonne embody resilience? In any case, this is the message that the CCI 47, the Banque de France and the Departmental Directorate of Public Finances (DDFIP) of the department wanted to emphasize during the presentation of the second economic situation survey of the year. The presentation, which was held in Samazan on November 5, 2024, provided a contrasting picture of the economic situation in Lot-et-Garonne. “We are going through a delicate moment on a national scale, with a debt which reaches 110% of GDP”recalled Caroline Pernot, departmental director of public finance. “This situation creates strong pressure on our businesses, even if locally, certain indicators are encouraging. » Note that the survey studied here was carried out among 300 local business leaders in September.
Rising tax revenues and sectoral difficulties
Among the highlights of the survey is the evolution of tax revenues. “Lot-et-Garonne’s tax revenue increased by +5.6% in 2023, which places us slightly above the regional average for Nouvelle-Aquitaine”underlined Caroline Pernot. “This reflects the good health of our local businesses. We also see an increase of +3.9% in corporate tax. » These figures show that, despite a difficult national economic context, local businesses continue to perform.
However, these overall results mask significant disparities between sectors. “Commerce remains one of the most affected sectors, with 1,152 company deregistrations in 2023”she continued. “The retail sector, particularly in city centers, is suffering from growing competition from online sales and an unfavorable overall economic context. »
Sectors under pressure
The departmental industry shows mixed results. “We observed a generally negative feeling among manufacturers, with the exception of the order book which is holding steady“, summarized Yannick Villeneuve, director of CCI 47, in front of the audience of business leaders present for the occasion. “Margins are under pressure, but despite this, jobs continue to increase, which is a sign of resilience. » The construction sector is in great difficulty. “This is undoubtedly the sector most affected by budgetary restrictions. The drop in public orders has a direct impact on the health of construction companies, and although the workforce continues to grow, the rest of the indicators are in the red. » As for city center commerce, the situation is also gloomy. “ Retailers are pessimistic, particularly regarding their margins and cash flow,” confirmed Caroline Pernot. “No indicator suggests any improvement in the short term, and online competition continues to weaken traditional businesses. »
Cafes, hotels and restaurants, on the other hand, show some optimism for the future, although the year has had a difficult start. And to end on a positive note, the services sector, for its part, is doing well. “This is the sector that is doing the best. The first half of 2024 went well, apart from cash flow tensions. We have a lot of optimism for this sector in the second half of the year. »
Caution for business leaders
Despite sectoral difficulties, the survey reveals that the majority of business leaders in Lot-et-Garonne remain confident in the future of their activities. “Three out of four business leaders believe that the situation of their company is good”said Yannick Villeneuve. “And two in three say they are optimistic about the future of their business. »
However, this optimism is not found in their vision of the national economy. “74% of business leaders surveyed are not confident about France's economic prospects. The main difficulties identified are inflation, cited first, followed by the weight of social charges, then the increase in the cost of energy. reveals the investigation.
Towards economic stabilization?
In conclusion, the results of the survey revealed this November 5 in Samazan provide a contrasting assessment of the Lot-et-Garonne economy. “We are seeing a stabilization of the economy at the local level”Caroline Pernot summarized. “Of course, some sectors remain under pressure, notably commerce and construction, but the general optimism of business leaders shows us that the local economy has the resources necessary to maintain itself. » For all of these economic players, we will have to maintain a steely mentality in 2025, “looking forward to a year that will hopefully mark a clear return to growth and consumption. »
Stable unemployment, but territorial inequalities
The unemployment rate in Lot-et-Garonne remains stable at 7.3%, a figure unchanged for a year. However, marked disparities remain depending on the areas of the department. “For example, in Villeneuve-sur-Lot, the unemployment rate is 8.7%, while it drops to 6.6% in the Agenais basin”specified Yannick Villeneuve. Disparities which show the importance of a territorialized approach to supporting employment in the different regions of the department. Once again one of the great evils of Lot-et-Garonne.
