In the context of the COVID-19 emergency, the Collectivité de Corse (CDC) through the Office du développement agricole et rural de la Corse (ODARC) envisaged and set up a global support and accompaniment of initiatives to enable farmers to continue, develop and sell their production in the best possible conditions.
Prompt financial solution for farmers
The “Garantie Bancaire Aîné”, endowed with € 600.000 and currently under review, will be extended to all farmers who request cash flow financing from their banks for the purchase of supplies of inputs needed for their farms. This mechanism will make it possible to guarantee up to 90% of the cash loans granted by the bank to farmers.
Similarly, the “Avances Remboursables Aînés” mechanism is being modified so that it will cover all farmers, if they have not obtained a bank loan, and will allow cash advances of up to €8.000.
Difficulties for sheep and goat farmers
In response to the loss of turnover and the difficulties encountered by some sheep and goat farmers in processing, storing and selling their products, ODARC has asked the dairies to extend their milk collection network to the farmers concerned and to stop all milk imports. In addition, in order to limit the economic impact, ODARC will partially compensate the purchase price of milk from the dairies.
Given the uncertainty regarding the recovery of economic activity in the coming months, the strategy remains that of limiting farmers' stocks and providing them with the safest possible cash flow. A stock review of farm and industrial cheese inventories will be carried out at the appropriate time to evaluate the possibility of buying back unsold products.
Livestock sectors
To support the income of the breeders, nearly 200.000 € were made available to buy unsold lambs and goats during the months of March and April. At the same time, in order to reduce the production costs of the breeding sectors, the costs of slaughtering and transporting the carcasses will be covered by the Syndicat mixte d'abattage de la Corse (SMAC) during the crisis period.
Agricultural labour force
Because of the lack of agricultural labour, limited by travel restrictions due to the health emergency, ODARC is currently working with the Prefect of Haute-Corse to facilitate the integration of local labour through an "accelerated training" solution for employees. The aim is that the producer, by recruiting non-agricultural workers, can train them quickly and at lower cost, without affecting his economic profitability.
Wine sector
The 2020 wine harvest poses a supply management problem, since the surplus on the markets can lead to slumps or sharply declining prices. Consequently, it is necessary to store part of the 2020 campaign in cellars, which would make it possible to further smooth out supply and to carry over part of the products under good conditions. However, this means that farmers must invest immediately in the purchase of vats. Thus, the ODARC's "Regional aid scheme for investment in equipment for wine cellars" has been modified. With a budget of €500,000, it will make it possible to finance the purchase of vats at 40% for older farmers and 60% for young farmers.
Promotion of local products
In order to promote the consumption of Corsican products, in particular garden produce, fruit, cheese, pork and meat products, the ODARC has set up a partnership with Corsican supermarkets and hypermarkets, the Corsican Environment Office and the Regional Chamber of Agriculture. In this context, a particular commitment has been made to limit as far as possible the import of veal from the continent, with a preference for Corsican veal and young Corsican cattle.
With the same aim, the Corsican Chamber of Agriculture has launched "Mangeons Corse", a geolocation platform for producers which encourages consumption in short circuits giving information on available food products and open local product sales shops.
The initiatives mentioned are accompanied by a communication campaign via TV and radio spots, inserts in daily newspapers and through social networks, aimed at raising consumer awareness to buy local seasonal products. Finally, the website http://www.gustidicorsica.com/, a showcase for the promotion of the "Strada di i Sensi", will list all the delivery initiatives of the producers of the Route des Sens in order to facilitate the development of these supply channels.
Solidarity
To conclude, ODARC contributed to a solidarity operation through the Corsican Food Bank, with the purchase of 20 veals, whose meat was cut up and packaged in 1 kg trays and then distributed to the most deprived. This operation could be repeated with other productions.
