"The government and all actors active in the development of organic agriculture must react urgently not to attend the burial of the agro-ecological transition of the France," said in a statement the National Federation of Organic Agriculture (Fnab).

It calls for "general mobilization" on the day when the Organic Agency publishes its figures for 2022, testifying to the crisis experienced by this mode of production without pesticides or fertilizers from synthetic chemistry.

According to this agency responsible for the promotion and development of organic, the share of organic food products in the shopping basket of the French is declining, rising to 6% in 2022 (against 6.4% the previous year).

In comparison, the share of organic exceeds 10% in other European countries such as Denmark or Austria, which have "very voluntarist" policies, pointed out at a press conference the director of the agency, Laure Verdeau.

Sales of organic products for home consumption, which represent 92% of the sector's outlets, fell in value by 4.6% last year, to 12 billion euros.

"The biggest drop is in the 3,000 organic stores, with a drop in footfall and nearly 200 closures," Verdeau said. Their sales fell by 8.6%, and those of large retailers by 4.6%.

Conversely, the 26,000 organic farms in direct sales, "which combine organic and local, are growing" (+3.9%), she added.

In 2021, sales of organic products for home consumption (supermarkets, farm sales, etc.) had already fallen by 1.4%, a first decline not seen since 2010.

"Need for public authorities"

Sales of products for out-of-home consumption, on the other hand, increased by 17% in 2022, the first year of full recovery for restaurants after the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, the share of organic food remains stable in collective catering (canteens) with 7% of purchases - still far from the objective of 20% set in the law in 2018 - and falls from 2% to 1% in commercial catering, for which "everything remains to be done", said Ms. Verdeau.

The decline in purchases, in a context of high food inflation, weighs heavily on organic producers, faced with unsold items and price drops.

Agriculture Minister Marc Fesneau announced in mid-May a "crisis envelope" with 60 million euros to help farmers in difficulty, as well as measures to stimulate demand such as the commitment that canteens under the responsibility of the State (ministry, army) are "exemplary" by reaching the objective of 20% organic on the menu.

An effort still largely insufficient for the FNAB, which had considered the commitment of the State "symbolic" at this stage.

"We need the public authorities to pass the course, or farmers risk deconversion because the demand is not there at the moment," Philippe Sellier, president of the organic commission of the interprofession of meat (beef, sheep and goat) Interbev, told AFP on Thursday.

"We are unable to convince people to go organic if they can not value their work," added this cow farmer in Normandy.

In 2022, 10.7% of agricultural land was cultivated organically, a figure that stagnates compared to 2021. The France is expected to reach 18% in 2027.

With the decline in demand, the areas in the first year of conversion to this agriculture without pesticides or synthetic fertilizers have fallen by 40%.

The balance between organic arrivals and outputs "still remains positive, but reflects a real brake on the conversion dynamic," according to the agency.

According to the roadmap established by the Ministry of Agriculture, "we should already be at 12% of organic surfaces with 320,000 hectares more than the figures published today," deplores the Fnab.

© 2023 AFP