French Farmers Face Mounting Struggles as Numbers Dwindle and Economic Hardship Grows
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The number of farmers in France has dropped dramatically, from 2.5 million in the 1950s to fewer than 500,000 today. The average age of French farmers is now over 50.
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100,000 French farms have been lost in the past decade alone, while the total farming area has shrunk by just 1% as remaining farms get bigger.
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French farmers have a significantly higher suicide rate than the general population due to economic hardship and difficult working conditions.
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Over 17% of French farming households live below the poverty line, nearly twice the national average. Farmers' incomes fluctuate wildly based on uncontrollable factors like weather and market prices.
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Wheat prices recently plunged to their lowest level in 2 years, driven down by bumper harvests in Russia and adverse weather hurting French production. This leaves many French farms unable to cover costs.