Aquitaine is France’s leading farming region with a turnover of €5 billion, representing 10% of national value added. The UAA (used agricultural area) totals 1.6 million hectares and it has roughly 50,000 farms. Nearly 10% of the working population works for the farming sector, whereas the national average is 4%. Its temperate oceanic climate, the diversity of the primarily sedimentary soils (soft sandstone, clayey marl) have encouraged the development of food crops, particularly cereals (54% of land); maize is the major crop, with three million tons annually, two thirds of which are exported, the remainder being used locally in animal feeds. It is also the largest tobacco growing region with 6,600 tons/per annum. Moreover, Aquitaine has a vast forestry capital of 1.8 million hectares, representing 43% of the region’s territory. The forestry/wood sector is a pillar of the economy, with 30,000 jobs and a turnover of €2.6 billion.

Aquitaine is a historic animal husbandry region with a large cattle population spread throughout the territory. In 2007, it totalled 808,000 head, with 120,000 dairy cows, 260,000 suckler cows and 246,000 calves.
Three great cattle breeds have made Aquitaine famous. The Blonde d’Aquitaine (Label Rouge in 1991) gives a tender, tasty marbled beef and its production has now gone national. Boeuf de Chalosse (Label Rouge 1991, IGP in 1996) is fattened on maize in the Chalosse plains. Bœuf de Bazas (Label Rouge in 1997), after grazing for several years in the Landes pastures, is slaughtered at no more than 36 months.
Veal from suckled calves (first cattle Label Rouge obtained in 1971) is produced by traditional farming. Fed solely on mother’s milk, the meat is very tender, with a slight hazelnut flavour.

Poultry totals 19 million head, including 8.3 million broiler chickens and 5.6 million ducks. Aquitaine is the leading producer of foie gras palmipeds in the world (9,000 tons/year, with 85% certified IGP), and ranks 2nd for broiler poultry, half of which is produced under a quality label. The farmhouse poultry from the Landes department (Label Rouge in 1965 and IGP in 1998), bred outdoors, has a firm, relatively lean meat. The region numbers 14.5 million fowl (including 7 million yellow-breasted) for 600 farmers. The Landes department is the 2nd largest Label Rouge production basin.

Fruit and vegetable farming represents 11% of regional farm produce earnings (€484 million turnover in 2005), totalling 3,800 permanent jobs and 30,000 seasonal jobs. The cultivated area represents 40,000 hectares for vegetable production and 27,000 hectares for fruit production. The Lot-et-Garonne department alone accounts for 45% of the regional production in money terms.
The principal fruit and vegetables from Aquitaine include:
- sand-grown carrots (169,000 tons) produced in the humus-bearing sandy area of the Landes department;
- asparagus (5,000 tons) including the sand asparagus from the Landes department and Blayais asparagus (grown in the humus-bearing soil of the Gironde department);
- tomatoes are cultivated in the Marmande basin (74,300 tons). They are hardy, firm and very fragrant;
- Espelette pepper (only AOC spice) groups 130 producers in ten villages (south east of Bayonne) for a volume of 68 tons of certified ground pepper;

Aquitaine’s geographical location makes it a good region for fishing and aquaculture. This sector represents 1,100 companies (50% fishing businesses), 4,700 jobs, 400 vessels, 2,000 seamen – on sea and river - and a turnover of €163 million not including direct sales. Running from the Gironde to the Pays Basque department, the fishing sector breaks down into three distinct fishing areas: Basque and South-Landes, Arcachon and the Adour and Gironde estuaries.
Traditional saltwater fishing is concentrated around the ports of Saint-Jean-de-Luz/Ciboure, Cap Breton and Arcachon.
The nine top species are hake, monkfish, mackerel, Germon tuna, sardine, sole, scad, anchovy and tuna.

Wine-growing is Aquitaine’s number one agricultural production, playing a predominant, key role in the region’s economy. It concerns roughly 60,000 jobs (direct and indirect) at 16,000 wine-growing operations, over half of which are in the  Gironde department, 75 cooperative wine cellars and producers and 400 wine brokers. The Aquitaine vineyards represent the largest wine-growing area for fine wines in the world, covering 151,600 hectares, roughly 80% in the Gironde, with an average annual production of 7 million hectolitres. The wine and spirits sector represents over one third of the region’s food industry exports.
The region numbers over 80 AOC wines, including 57 in the Gironde. The fame of Aquitaine wines is inherent to the exceptional climatic and geological conditions and traditional know-how, coupled with innovative technologies.

Aquitaine’s regional products are among the most famous. Well-known and appreciated throughout the world, the IGP-certified “duck foie gras from the South-West” is in itself an example of French art of living. Aquitaine is also the world’s leading producer of foie gras (mostly duck) and accounts for almost half the French production. Moreover, the region is known for its duck fillets (magret) and preserves and poultry delicacies. Another source of Aquitaine wealth is clearly the superb “black diamond from Perigord”, or truffle. This “miracle of nature” can be served in different ways and especially with foie gras. Another mushroom adding to the region’s reputation is the cep, which is the delight of all gourmets as the perfect accompaniment to traditional dishes.

Gastronomy is well-established in Aquitaine and considered first rate in view of the region’s talented chefs and the quality of local dishes and recipes. The specialties include soups (garlic soup thickened with egg yolk (tourin), Bearnaise vegetable broth with goose (garbure), Basque fish soup, fish dishes (shad with sorrel, spicy elver (pibales), Medoc-style eel, Bordeaux-style lamprey, Bayonne-style cod, baby squid, etc.), foie gras recipes, Perigord magret and enchaud (pork preserves), meat (entrecôte bordelaise, Landes-style calf sweetbreads, Basque hachua or veal stew),

Crédit photo : FD

Jean-Claude Bors
(CEO of Deplanche-Laubeyrie – meat sector at Rungis)

“We are specialized in the major Blonde d’Aquitaine cattle breed, which might be described as a top-of-the-line breed; it accounts for 80% of our sales. This meat breed is really suited to traditional Parisian butchery. It is a thick, heavy-bodied breed, with a lot of muscles (550 kg carcase) and a very tender, relatively lean meat that is very popular with consumers. We work with the top professionals in the trade because Blonde d’Aquitaine cattle need to be fattened up slowly to produce excellent marbling. The best Blonde d’Aquitaine herds are found in the Pyrenees, which is where the breed originated. The professionals from the Aquitaine region have perfectly mastered how to raise this first rate cattle breed.”

Dominique Graciet
(President of the Aquitaine regional chamber of commerce and the chamber of agriculture of the Landes department)

“Agriculture and forestry are the main economic sectors of the Aquitaine region. It is the largest farming region in terms of turnover and jobs, and our farming population is three times bigger than the national average. At the start of the year, we launched a strategic farming project at regional level to rebuild a promising offer for the years ahead based on our assets, with the goal of understanding European and global market opportunities. It is also to check whether our management of production means is optimised.
Aquitaine is a magnificent table, comprised of a patchwork of regions, each of which has its place in the local, regional, national or even international market. Each region should naturally retain its identity while aiming for the region’s collective development, with no excessive segmentation of products under quality labels, so that this patchwork of regions can realize its full potential for all the farmers in the region.”

Marc Monteleone
(Business Manager of Masse – Rungis catering sector)

“We are specialized in the major Blonde d’Aquitaine cattle breed, which might be described as a top-of-the-line breed; it accounts for 80% of our sales. This meat breed is really suited to traditional Parisian butchery. It is a thick, heavy-bodied breed, with a lot of muscles (550 kg carcase) and a very tender, relatively lean meat that is very popular with consumers. We work with the top professionals in the trade because Blonde d’Aquitaine cattle need to be fattened up slowly to produce excellent marbling. The best Blonde d’Aquitaine herds are found in the Pyrenees, which is where the breed originated. The professionals from the Aquitaine region have perfectly mastered how to raise this first rate cattle breed.”