Paris (AFP)

The 2021 edition of the Salon de l'Agriculture, which was scheduled to be held in Paris from February 27 to March 7, is canceled due to the epidemic, but the open competition for agricultural products and public debates will be maintained, said Wednesday. the organizers at AFP.

"It is our responsibility (...) to state as early as possible our decision, which is to postpone the Agricultural Show until the following year, while maintaining in Paris and in various cities events including farmers need "during that week, said Jean-Luc Poulain, president of the National Center for Agricultural Competitions and Exhibitions (Ceneca), owner of the show.

The Agricultural Show, the largest show in France, was held at the last minute in early 2020 just before the start of containment linked to the Covid-19 epidemic.

It had welcomed 540,000 visitors against 650,000 in previous years.

The open competition, which judges approximately 12,000 French agricultural and food products each year, from honey to wine, whose finals are held during the duration of the fair, will be "maintained" with the agreement of the Ministry of Agriculture, and could be to hold "in different provincial towns".

Animal shows are postponed to 2022.

The organizers must also assess the feasibility of competitions for young farmers and those on agro-ecological practices, they said in a press release released in the evening.

"There should be an establishment of points of sale for agricultural products in Paris, probably in open-air farmers' markets" that week, Poulain said.

In addition, one or more national debates on the evolution of agriculture and food will also be held in Paris, probably around the theme of food sovereignty, he added.

Because "agriculture needs a little clarity".

The decision, which legally is a postponement to 2022, was taken on Tuesday by Ceneca, owner of the show, and Comexposium, its organizer, following a meeting in the morning of the seven members of the Council of Agriculture: Credit Agricole, Groupama, MSA, FNSEA, Young Farmers, Cooperatives of France and Chambers of Agriculture.

© 2020 AFP