The Ile-de-France agribusiness activity represents an economic sector of prime importance, with a market of 11 million consumers. With farmland covering 583,000 hectares (50% of the region’s surface area), agriculture is particularly developed in Seine-et-Marne (58% of the department). The sector includes about 5,600 farms, some 30,000 jobs and over a billion euros in turnover, with 35% in export. Located in the centre of the cereal-growing basin, Ile-de-France is traditionally a region with large farms, with soft wheat the flagship crop with 242,960 hectares, far ahead of colza (80,230 ha), barley (72,365 ha) and maize (28,007 ha).

In 2007, cattle farming accounted for almost 32,500 head, including 7,240 dairy cows and 6,400 suckling cows, spread over 500 farms, with 350 breeders and fatteners. While the Prim’Holstein breed is the most prevalent, the suckling herd also includes Charolais, Limousin, Blonde d’Aquitaine and Salers breeds. Cattle farms are mostly to be found in the eastern Seine-et-Marne department, in the area where Brie cheese is produced, and in the Vexin department to the west.
Sheep farms accounted for 13,586 head, including 8,856 ewes spread over 500 farms. The Ile-de-France breed represents 43% of the region’s sheep population and is the result of a cross between Merino and English Dishley breeds. The goat population totals 1,883 head and the largest farms focus on producing milk or cheese.

Covering 1,700 ha, market gardening accounts for 370 farms, 80 of whom sell their produce on the Rungis Market producers’ floor, and employs about 1,800 people. Ile-de-France holds first place for parsley (48% of domestic production), leek (30%), cress (44%) and radishes and second place for lettuces (170 ha farmed, 120,000 heads collected manually per day) and onions.
The region is known for its quality vegetable produce, such as asparagus from Argenteuil (varieties: early pink and late purple with large white shoots), button mushrooms from Paris (creamy white, grown in underground galleries), cress from Méréville (two varieties: the large green and large special blonde, a specialist production), the “chevrier” green bean (known as the Arpajon bean or dwarf early flageolet from Etampes, a green dried bean), lettuce (different lettuce varieties), artichokes from Paris (variety: large green from Laon, with falling production), turnips from the Paris region (varieties: Viarmes, Croissy, Montesson, Freneuse, a very old Ile-de-France crop).

Ile-de-France gastronomy is heir to a royal and popular tradition that remains a benchmark. For centuries the region has cultivated a sophisticated know-how based on renowned products and specialties.
There are numerous top quality dairy products, with about a hundred cheeses, the most famous of which are the Brie cheeses (Meaux AOC, Melun AOC, Montereau, Nangis, Coulommiers, Fougerus), Boursault (or lucullus), Fontainebleau (fromage frais), Délice de Saint-Cyr (triple cream) and several well-known goat’s cheeses.
The herbs and condiments include mint and peppermint from Milly, mustard from Meaux, saffron from Gâtinais, vinegar from Lagny and other aromatic herbs.
Besides the Parisian “viennoiseries” pastries and breads, Ile-de-France cakes and pastries are among the most famous. They include the glazed macaroon, (very Parisian, cited by Rabelais in 1552), the “niflette” (a specialty of Provins, a round of puff pastry with confectioner’s custard flavoured with orange blossom), the “tarte bourdaloue” (created in 1824, named after the Paris street, short-cut pastry topped with poached pears on an almond base), the Paris-Brest (created in 1881 to celebrate the cycling race of the same name, choux pastry shaped like a wheel, praline confectioner’s custard, topped with almonds slivers and icing sugar).

Daniel Canepa
(Prefect of the Ile-de-France region, Prefect of Paris)

“The food industry is one of the sectors that creates the most wealth in our region, whether in terms of jobs, turnover, value added, a healthy overseas trade balance or a dynamic regional economy.
Food industry companies in the region contribute roughly 11% of the national value added for the industry, with a turnover of €3.2 billion, topping the list of French regions.
This sector is mostly composed of SMEs and very small businesses positioned usually on very elaborate products. They co-exist with the large groups and various economic bodies of exceptional size, such as the Rungis MIN, the world’s largest fresh produce market, and the largest public central purchasing agencies for collective catering in France.
The industry’s contribution to regional employment is very important, with close to 150,000 jobs if we include the jobs in food processing companies, food wholesalers, collective catering and caterers, etc.
Ile-de-France agriculture is an activity that contributes to the economic health of the region and the territory’s development. The State supports the sector by means of various public policy tools:
- agricultural and rural development in the context of implementing FEADER, with aids for investment in farms, environmental policies, diversification of farming activity and local land development. Some €22 million from FEADER has already been distributed and, with the compensations from the State, region and departments, there is roughly €100 million in total available for the period 2007-2013;

Jacqueline PENEZ
(President of CERVIA Paris Ile-de-France)

“Agriculture covers half the regional territory and 5,500 farms keep it going with 30,000 jobs and over €1 billion in turnover. Cereal crops are largely dominant but specialized crops, market garden crops, arboriculture and horticulture have significant productions (lettuces, parsley, radishes, white onions, cress, apples, pears, etc.). The Producers’ Floor at Rungis is an illustration of this dynamism. In animal husbandry, 2 AOC (Brie cheese from Meaux and Melun) serve as examples of a highly efficient dairy production.
In the food processing industry, Ile-de-France ranks first among French regions in terms of value added and the sector represents about 150,000 jobs (not including the retail trade and commercial catering, which are also emblematic).
The weight of this sector is nevertheless too frequently ignored in a capital region that has many cutting edge industries.
The CERVIA has two main missions: to promote products and know-how and to support companies.
The promotion involves some very varied actions: the website, trade shows for professionals and the general public, educational actions targeting youth, information days, regional competitions as well as in-depth work with companies on the identification of regional products. In short, the goal is to promote the food culture in Ile-de-France.
When the CERVIA launched the 1st regional competition for food innovation in 2007, Rungis Market immediately offered its backing and has proved to be a precious partner, with a wonderful prize-giving ceremony at Rungis on 30 September 2008.
CERVIA and Rungis Market have joined forces again in 2009 for the 40th anniversary of the move from Les Halles de Paris. Besides the communication done on the Ile-de-France stand at SIA, two events provided a new partnership opportunity: the regional culinary art Competition for students from the CFA (apprentice training centre) and hotel schools, where the final will be held at Espace Rungis on 29 April, and the conference “Feeding the capital region” (Nourrir la région-capitale), which will take place in the amphitheatre of the Regional Council on 4 June 2009, where Rungis International Market has a central role in the debates.”

Michel Caffin
(Farmer - President of the Chambre régionale d’agriculture for Seine-et-Marne - Ile de France - Vice-president of the regional bank of Crédit Agricole Ile-de-France – Regional councillor for Ile-de-France)

“Ile-de-France is a great farming region with 50% of its territory devoted to agriculture and 25% to forestry. Ile-de-France farm production only represents 1% of the national territory but it is particularly well-placed in terms of large farms (cereals, colza, oleaginous plants, sugar beet, etc.), livestock farming, fruit and vegetable (lettuce) production, arboriculture and horticulture.  This is a wealthy, diverse region by the range and specificity of its land and the quality of its productions, although it is still insufficient. Indeed, with about 6,000 farmers for a basin of 11 million consumers, it is hard to match a completely variable supply (weather hazards, cyclical nature of productions, production and labour costs, etc.) to a constant demand. To our producers’ credit, we are seeing a return to short channels that enhances the value of products and a concern for sustainable development. Today, local production increasingly makes sense and, in this respect, the Rungis producers’ floor is a very useful solution for the image, distribution and development of our productions. The same is true of the Cervia, which plays an essential role in terms of promoting and increasing the value of existing and new Ile-de-France productions.
Another important sector in Ile-de-France is the food processing industry, which carries immense macro-economic weight. However, it is primarily a secondary processing industry whereas our agriculture requires a primary processing industry, which is mainly done outside our region.
Furthermore, the pressure of urban expansion, which is now contained, acted as a brake on the development and stability of our different farm productions for a long time. Yet despite these constraints, I remain optimistic about the region’s future because of its capacities and production methods, the level of competence of its professionals via our agronomic research centres and the very high demand from consumers.”

Gérard Gratiot
(Ripener, Manager of Gratiot – dairy produce (PLA) sector of Rungis)

“Our company has a traditional cheese ripening (10% of turnover) and distribution business. We ripen cheeses from Ile-de-France like Brie cheese from Meaux or Melun, the two AOC cheeses from the Seine-et-Marne department. It takes five to six weeks to ripen Brie from Meaux and twelve to fourteen weeks for Brie from Melun. Our traditional ripening produces a slightly redder pigmentation, like cheeses used to have in the old days. We also sell other cheeses from Ile-de-France such as Coulommiers, Brie from Provins, Brie from Nangis, Royal Briard, etc.  The cheeses from Ile-de-France are usually soft cheeses with a mould rind made from cow’s milk, notably from the Prim’holstein breed.
In 2008, the production of Brie from Meaux dropped slightly and that from Melun remained the same. After 1981, the Brie appellation area was expanded to include the Meuse, Marne and Haute-Marne departments. However, Ile-de-France has a wealth of other cheeses such as small goat’s cheese and little “hearts” made from cow’s milk. It is a good cheese-making region that has a well-deserved reputation for the high quality of its products.”

Jackie Théart
(Secretary General of the Ile-de-France horticulturists association (Syndicat des horticulteurs d’Ile-de-France), President of the APHUMR, Manager of SCH. Théart – horticultural producers sector of Rungis)

“Our production covers potted plants, bedding plants, biennials and to some extent indoor plants, representing 3 million bedding plants a year (annuals and biennials included) and 200,000 potted plants. Horticulture in Ile-de-France is composed of small companies for the most part, some medium-sized companies and a few large companies like our own. With urban development, which is now limited, many local companies disappeared, others moved out to the areas around Paris and the largest companies moved to the provinces.
Ile-de-France production has evolved with the clientele. Forty years ago, the clientele consisted of small florists, seed merchants in the city centre and stallholders on markets. Today, they are replaced by mass distribution, self-service, major brand names, landscape businesses and local authorities. Although our production still focuses on quality, we have had to adapt to the market with higher yields and by developing new lines (varieties, colours, shapes, etc.). You have to constantly stand out, innovate and create to remain competitive in the face of the more “industrial” competition from our neighbours. In this respect, Rungis is a symbol and a magnificent showcase. Nonetheless, Ile-de-France is still a vast consumer basin that encourages local flower production.”