Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001962/2024
to the Commission
Rule 144
André Rougé (PfE), Rody Tolassy (PfE)
Fruit production in Guadeloupe has slumped since 2013, by about 50 %, according to a study published by the Ministry of Agriculture’s Statistical Service on 1 October 2024. Production volumes have been particularly poor since 2020: the number of producers has fallen 18% and crop areas 23% in the last three years.
Several factors are at play here: crop areas have shrunk, diseases such as yellow dragon (also known as ‘citrus greening’) have been circulating and producers have aged. As a result, Guadeloupe has become largely dependent on imports to meet its own demands: 75 % of the fruit consumed there has been produced elsewhere.
This state of affairs undermines Guadeloupe’s food sovereignty and the very survival of many farms. Generational renewal is insufficient to compensate for ageing producers’ departure from the industry, and climate events and diseases affect most crops except export bananas.
Against that backdrop, is the Commission planning to take specific steps to support Guadeloupe’s farming sectors, specifically, stronger action to tackle the problem of yellow dragon disease and measures to encourage young farmers to join the industry?
Submitted: 4.10.2024