Agriculture of France
France is the first country in Europe tovolume of output of agricultural products. In terms of its exports, the country ranks second in the world after the United States: the total French agriculture exports about 20% of its output. The best lands are owned mainly by large enterprises, they employ hired labor and advanced agricultural technology. It is these enterprises that give the bulk of the output of marketable products.
The seaside possessions of the country make it the third inworld after the United States and England as a sea proprietor. This gives her great advantages in the development of marine wealth, but in the European Union France occupies only the third place after Denmark and Spain in fishing and seafood. More than half of the territory of the country consists of lands that are suitable for agriculture. The third part of the territory is occupied by forests that make up 25% of the area of all forests of the European Union.
Agriculture in France stands out goodthe development of animal husbandry and many branches of crop production. Livestock account for more than half of agricultural production. This industry gives about 3/5 of the value of commodity output and is located mainly in the north of the country. France continues to remain in Europe in the first place in terms of the number of cattle, is the largest EU meat and dairy producer, and this has a great influence on the agriculture of Western Europe.
The main grain crop of France is wheat. According to its collections, the country occupies the fourth place in the world after the USA, India and Canada. Corn and barley are also of great importance. In the northwestern part of the country, besides them, buckwheat and oats are sown, rye is poor in the poor soils of the Central region, and rice is cultivated in the delta of the Rhône. Almost all of France grow potatoes, and sugar beets are planted in the northern French lowland. In the department of Lower Rhine, tobacco and hops are grown, flowers are on the Riviera, and flax is cultivated in the Seaside Department of Seine.
France is well known for its vineyards,The year here is 10-12 million tons of grapes. At 1.2 million hectares (2.2% of the country's total area) 550 varieties of grapes are planted. In accordance with this, French agriculture produces more than 60 million hectoliters of wine per year, and France is the world's largest supplier. Grapes are grown everywhere in the country, except for the north and north-west, it is used mainly for the production of wines.
However, the role of the country's agriculture is notis limited only to livestock production and wine production. In France, many fruits and vegetables are produced. Many farms have their own small gardens and orchards, but for the supply of large cities and Paris, fruits and vegetables grow only a few areas, each of which specializes in its main crops. In Normandy and Brittany, apple orchards grow, in Alsace and Lorraine, cherries and mirabel are collected, in Liman - nuts. In the Mediterranean region, grow peaches and apricots, olives and almonds, in Corsica and the Riviera constantly increase the plantation of citrus fruits.
Livestock in France has a meat and dairy industrydirection. France is the world's third largest producer of milk, and the fourth largest producer of meat. Agriculture in France occupies the first place in the world in the number of cattle, and according to the number of pigs second only to Germany, the number of sheep is only slightly behind England and Italy. Breed cattle in those areas where the land is inconvenient for farming, but there are favorable conditions for the growth of grasses. This is the north-east of the country and mountainous areas. And in those areas where maize, potatoes and sugar beet are cultivated, pigs are also engaged, as there is a good fodder base.
