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FRANCE, in western Europe, consists of the northern plains of the Paris Basin, vast plateaus in the central parts, and mountainous regions in the south. The total area is 552,000 km2. Only 4% of the workforce in its 1999 population of 59 million was engaged in agriculture, although arable land covers one-third of the country. Agriculture accounts for only 3% of the GDP. There are extensive rice-growing areas in the Camargue region on the Mediterranean coast of France.
General information
- GNI per capita PPP$, 2000: 24,420
- Internal renewable water resources: 170 km3
- Incoming water flow: 15 km3
- Main food consumed: wheat, meat, oil and fat, milk, sugar and honey
- Rice consumption, 1999: 4.7 kg milled rice per person per year
Production constraints
Rice yield has stagnated since 1990. There are several constraints to sustainable rice production:
- Low temperature
- Stagnation of the yield potential of rice varieties
- High production costs
- Blast
- Red rice
Production season |
|
|
|
Planting |
Harvesting |
Main season |
Apr-May |
Sep-Oct |
Basic statistics, France |
|
1985 |
1990 |
1995 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
Rice |
Area harvested (ha) |
11,200 |
20,400 |
25,200 |
18,420 |
16,970 |
18,565 |
Yield (t/ha) |
5.5 |
5.9 |
4.9 |
5.8 |
6.1 |
5.8 |
Production (t) |
61,560 |
121,300 |
122,400 |
107,300 |
103,250 |
107,000 |
Rice imports (t) |
283,169 |
265,758 |
280,993 |
379,973 |
394,092 |
na |
Paddy imports (t) |
31,985 |
8,431 |
8,663 |
7,787 |
7,494 |
na |
Rice exports (t) |
17,897 |
43,831 |
74,373 |
61,455 |
74,942 |
na |
Paddy exports (t) |
1,832 |
5,977 |
31,888 |
32,385 |
32,212 |
na |
Others |
Population, total (x103) |
55,170 |
56,718 |
58,020 |
58,683 |
58,886 |
na |
Population, agriculture (x103) |
3,794 |
3,115 |
2,493 |
2,173 |
2,075 |
na |
Agricultural area (x103 ha) |
31,442 |
30,570 |
30,059 |
29,944 |
na |
na |
Irrigated agricultural area (x103 ha) |
1,050 |
1,300 |
1,630 |
2,000 |
na |
na |
Total fertilizer consumption (t) |
5,694,700 |
5,683,000 |
4,914,500 |
4,831,000 |
na |
na |
Tractors used in agric. (no.) |
1,491,200 |
1,440,000 |
1,311,700 |
1,270,000 |
na |
na |
Source: FAOSTAT online database. |
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