The Ministry of Agriculture details the subsidized loans that farmers will be able to benefit from, before further mobilization of the sector

What reassures the sector, before the new cycle of mobilization of farmers supposed to begin on Monday? The Ministry of Agriculture clarified the terms of the subsidized loans to which professionals in difficulty will be able to claim, Friday November 15.

The ministry’s press release details two systems. The first is designed to deal with economic difficulties (climatic or health hazards), in the form of medium-term loans capped at 50,000 euros per farm. Farmers who have lost at least 20% of their turnover in 2024 compared to their historical reference average will be eligible, with maximum interest rates of 1.75% for a 24-month loan and 2.35% for a 36 month loan.

An additional bonus will be granted to young people who have been established for less than five years. The ministry says these loans will be made available “as soon as possible”after a call for expressions of interest from banks.

A second device will concern the difficulties “more structural due, for example, to the impact of climate change”. It will take the form of “long term consolidation loans (maximum 12 years)”, granted by banks and backed by a public guarantee deployed by Bpifrance. The amount of this loan will be capped at 200,000 euros. The guarantee system will be operational at the start of 2025. Farmers whose interest rate will be overall debt is greater than 50% The government press release does not specify the cost of these operations for public finances.

The main agricultural unions welcomed these measures, while demanding their implementation “urgent” These announcements “are undoubtedly going in the right direction”reacted the majority union alliance FNSEA-Jeunes Agriculteurs in a press release, which “asks the government that these measures be implemented urgently at local level” et “continue to request specific support via the FAC” (burden relief fund).