At the forefront in Europe and worldwide

A major sector of the economy

Agriculture, along with the food and farming industry, is the leading sector of the French economy. Half of France’s farmland is devoted to producing fodder for cattle, sheep and goat farming. Europe’s leading agricultural power, France also ranks among the leading producers of milk and meat worldwide, carried by the productivity of French farming and its dynamically competitive sub-sectors.

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Dairy cattle sector

France ranks among the world’s biggest producers of milk. The diversity and productivity of French dairy breeds have helped keep competitive family-run farms in business across the country, even in the toughest zones for farming. Dairy production is governed by ultra-stringent quality requirements and is monetized through a thriving internationally-renowned industry that has made France the world’s second-largest exporter of dairy products in terms of value traded.

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Key figures

  • AT EUROPEAN SCALE
  • 1st agricultural producer
  • 1st national cattle herd
  • 1st producer of beef
  • AT WORLDWIDE SCALE
  • 2nd exporter of dairy products (in value traded)
  • 2nd exporter of weanlings
  • 7th producer of milk
  • 7th producer of beef meat