Private Story
SUSTAINED NATURE
French agricultural production has been in deep crisis for a long time, surviving under government subsistence. The sector has the highest number of suicides by professional causes. And the profits from its productions are so low that does not promise a better future for the farmers.
All this situation and the health crisis does not seem to threaten the life of small producers in France. On the contrary, the sale of baskets and local products increased dramatically during quarantine. The baskets distribution networks, which have existed for some time now, show that they form a solid and stable economy capable of providing the food necessary for the population in the event of panic and pandemic. The networks are multiple and diversified, each reaching a part of the population by serving wealthier customers such as the middle class and students. They were all positively affected by the growing interest of the French population for local products. Partly for the ease and security that these networks provide; on the other hand, by reflections on the future which the health crisis imposes. Ecology as much as health are the guests of honor at the table. And these questions are shown by the growing economy of small local producers.
The Saint Thibault dairy farm is a good example of this new quarantine economy. The production of this farm has been multiplied by 6 since the beginning of containment. And this reality is practically the same for all small producers and family farming networks. AMAP receives considerable numbers of new calls for new registrations. And of the groups which offer baskets without filliation, this number is even more obvious. As is the case with La Ruche Qui Dit Oui. This company continues to increase its distribution of baskets and sells products online. For the pandemic they created home deliveries in Paris and contracted interims to be able to maintain the services.
Workers on several family farms are exhausted despite the contentment. Work has doubled in the last few days. But producers are reluctant to invest because they wonder if this change in attitude will be fixed in a new mode of French food consumption.
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