Agriculture
800 km2 or 13% of the total area is dedicated to agriculture, on which 40000 people (14% of the Var working population) depend for their livelihoods. The department also has 10 km2 of horticultural land (of which 4 km2 are covered). The Var is France's largest grower of cut flowers, producing some 500 million stems a year. Livestock farming is mainly sheep (50000 head) and goats (4200 head). Vines and viticultural related activities account for 345 km2 of farmland. The 450 domaines / cooperatives and the 4 AOCs (appellation d'origine controlleé) produce 150 million litres of wine a year. The Var leads the world in the production of rose wine.
Other important agricultural products include olives (cultivated on 42 km2 of land—a quarter of all French olive groves—and processed in 40 mills), figs (the Var produces 80% of France's figs), and honey (800 tonnes per year). There are also 9 km2 of market gardens.
Agricultural turnover in the Var is €610 million per year, of which 45% is sales of wines and 42% of horticultural products.
In 2008 the Var received approximately €15 million in farm subsdies under the EU Common Agriculture Policy, an average of about €6000 per recipient farm. This compares with an average across France as a whole of over €18,000 per farm.
Read more about this topic: Var (department)
Famous quotes containing the word agriculture:
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