Accounting and financial data from 2016 shows an overall improvement in economic well being of a sample of French fruit farms compared to 2015, however there are pronounced disparities. The study was carried out by CerFrance for FranceAgriMer the FNPF and Ctifl, and followed accounting data in 2017 from 2016 and 2015 on 396 farms in 11 departments. The farms included in the study were as follows : 50 specialised in peaches, 50 in apples, 50 in apricots, 25 in kiwis and 221 diverse species. At least 50% of the gross products were from orchards. The average figure reached by the farms was €29,200 in 2016, over double of that recorded in 2015 (€12,200). The main expenditures were workers (36%) and management (24%). Average utilised agricultural land reached 37.2 hectares, of which 20.5 hectares was orchards, 7.6 hectares large crops and 3.3 hectares vines.
The net margin for samples specialised in peaches was over €70,000 in 2016, compared to only €27,000 in 2015. However, 42% of the farms are in a state of average or high financial risk. These weaker farms have lower utilised agricultural land than the rest of the samples (27.6 hectares of which 25.2 hectares is orchards, compared to 42.8 and 36.9 in orchards). These farms also have a negative margin, on average -€22,850. Their debts are almost three times higher than farms with low or zero financial risks. On average, the situation for apple producers improved, with a net margin of over €52,000, double that of 2015.
Average and high level financial risk farms decreased, from 34% in 2015 to 26% in 2016. Net margin also more than doubled for apricot producers, from €20,000 in 2015 to almost €41,000 in 2016. Almost 20% are in a situation of high or average financial risk. Kiwi net margins went from a very weak €800 in 2015 to over €9,000 in 2016. Almost a third of farms specialising in kiwis are in a high or average financial risk situation, but this is also influenced by large crop activities. Diverse orchards and orchards specialising in other species recorded a net margin of €14,000 compared to €5,500 in 2015, One in five farms are in situations of average or high financial risk.
The researchers classed the farms depending on their growth and investment capacities. 32% of peach farms were considered to be slowing down in 2016, 52% are in development and 16% are stable. The slowdown is less important for other species : 20% for apples, 20% for kiwis, 18% for apricots and 27% for diverse orchards and orchards specialising in other species.