Gers, an agricultural economy
The position of Gers among French agricultural department
leaders is particularly asserted in vegetable and animal
productions.
National rank held by Gers:
| |
Nature
of productions
|
Area
|
Production
|
|
Cereals
(200 000 ha)
|
8th
|
13th
|
|
Oleaginous
(104 000 ha)
|
1st
|
4th
|
|
Seeds
(13 500 ha)
|
2th
|
2th
|
|
Garlic
(1500 ha)
|
1st
|
1st
|
|
Melons
(850 ha)
|
8th
|
7th
|
|
Vineyard
(20 000 ha)
|
13th
|
8th
|
|
Fat poultry
|
|
2th
|
|
Meat poultry and layers
|
|
16th
|
|
Milking cows
|
|
22th
|
 |
| ©
T.Suire-AGP |
These characteristics all in all make of Gers the first
agricultural department of Midi-Pyrenees as much for its
final agricultural production as for operating gross revenue
in the department, revenue per farm, farming population
rate or Agricultural Floor Space.
Rank held by Gers in Midi-Pyrenees:
| |
Nature of productions
|
Area
|
|
Cereals
|
1st
|
|
Seeds
|
1st
|
|
Oleaginous
|
1st
|
|
Garlic
|
1st
|
|
Melons
|
2th
|
|
Wine
|
1st
|
|
Fat poultry
|
1st
|
|
Meat poultry and layers
|
1st
|
|
Cattle
|
4th
|
|
Swine
|
4th
|
Gers positions as a producing rather than a transforming
department: It actually holds the 4th regional rank in the
field of agriculture and food industries, as much for its
number of companies over 10 permanent employees (40 out
of 295 in Midi-Pyrénées) as for overall staffs
in such companies (1 613 out of 12 464).
Agriculture in Gers, a diversified agriculture which takes
63% of its receipts out of vegetable productions and 37%
out of animal productions.
 |
| ©
T.Suire-AGP |
Gers is also the 2nd irrigated French department after
Landes (85 000 hectares).
Its agriculture is made out of medium-sized farms, relatively
steady as far as their staffs are concerned.
The number of farms has decreased since 1970 less quickly
than the national and regional average, and went down, between
1988 and 1197, from 13 597 to 10 662.
Evolution of the A. F. S. in farms:
:
| |
Farm Sizes
|
Number
of farms
|
|
- 5
ha
|
1877
|
|
5 ha
to 10 ha
|
739
|
|
10
ha to 20 ha
|
963
|
|
20
ha to 50 ha
|
3560
|
|
50
ha to 100 ha
|
2636
|
|
100
ha and over
|
957
|
Entre 1979 et 1997 la taille moyenne des exploitations
est passée de 31 ha à 45 ha.
Evolution du nombre d'installations de J.A.
avec attribution de la D.J.A.
(Dotation Jeunes Agriculteurs) :
Between 1979 and 1997 farms average size increased from 31 ha to 45 ha.
Evolution of the number of newly set up Young Farmers
granted a D.J.A. (Young Farmer Allowance):
| |
Years
|
Number
of Y.F.
|
Years
|
Number
of Y.F.
|
|
1983
|
310
|
1991
|
185
|
|
1984
|
296
|
1992
|
118
|
|
1985
|
200
|
1993
|
93
|
|
1986
|
211
|
1994
|
97
|
|
1987
|
242
|
1995
|
100
|
|
1988
|
270
|
1996
|
152
|
|
1989
|
253
|
1997
|
138
|
|
1990
|
214
|
1998
|
115
|
Contacts