Newly appointed French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne has promised financial support to farmers in a bid to stop France's crippling drought from further hurting the industry. The measures were announced during Borne's trip to the Loiret region, which has been without rain for months.
Visiting a 230-hectare farm specialising in cereals, strawberries and asparagus, the Prime Minister spoke at length with a young farmer who explained that "this year the drought started early".
Accompanied by the Minister for Agriculture, Marc Fesneau, and the Minister for Ecological Transition, Amélie de Montchalin, Borne explained that her new government was "taking measures to manage water resources and avoid the situation becoming unmanageable this summer".
She added that regional administrations have been instructed "to preserve water resources as much as possible," with "messages to all French people to reduce their water consumption."
EN DIRECT | Après avoir rencontré des agriculteurs exposés au risque de sécheresse, la Première ministre @Elisabeth_Borne s’exprime depuis Sandillon dans le Loiret. https://t.co/W6BaTy0VJy
— Gouvernement (@gouvernementFR) May 26, 2022
€400m in assistance
Nineteen departments across France are currently affected by water shortages, and for the most severely impacted "drought orders and therefore restrictions on non-priority uses" will be introduced.
The head of government also recalled that €400 million will be allocated "to farmers who may have difficulties with animal feed due to drought," as part of an aid plan put in place following the outbreak of war in Ukraine and the global surge on food prices, starting Monday.
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Borne also pointed out that the budget for farmers wishing to invest in equipment to optimise water consumption had been doubled to €40 million, and an additional €100 million had been made available to France's water agencies to help the agricultural sector to adapt or create water reservoirs.
Finally, she assured that her government would pursue a major reform of crop insurance, that will be implemented from 1 January 2023.
