Breeders, fishermen, market gardeners… While all these professionals have seen their activity destabilized by the soaring price of fuel since the start of the war in Ukraine, and the government fears the rise in exasperation, less than a month before the presidential , Prime Minister Jean Castex announced support measures on Wednesday. A short tour of the main aid decided.
Fishing: aid of 35 cents per liter of diesel
Jean Castex had promised that he would “not let the fishermen down”. Of which act. While this profession has been dramatically impacted by the surge in the price of diesel since the start of the war in Ukraine, and we fear a social outbreak in the coming days, the Prime Minister recalled that certain ships, including ” two-thirds of the charges” are sometimes related to fuel, currently remain at the quay. The “absolute priority is the maintenance of fishing activities”, he added. “Exceptional” financial aid of “35 cents per liter of fishing diesel” will therefore be allocated to them from March 16, and this “until July 31”. The idea being that the fishermen, who will also be able to benefit from “additional support from local authorities”, “go back to sea as soon as possible”.
This announcement “is likely to reassure the shipping companies” and to “encourage them to go back to sea tomorrow”, reacts immediately Jean-Luc Hall, the director general of the National Committee for Maritime Fisheries and Marine Farming (CNPMEM), who nevertheless requested an appointment on Thursday morning at the Ministry of the Sea, in order to find out more.
VIDEO. Transport, fishing, construction, agriculture… The main aid to businesses unveiled by Jean Castex
Agriculture: 400 million euros and trade negotiations
While North Africa is encountering supply difficulties linked to a period of drought as well as a strong dependence on cereals produced in Ukraine, “France must continue to produce”, insisted in the preamble the Minister of Agriculture and Food, Julien Denormandie. Faced with the soaring cost of animal feed which has a strong impact on breeders, a “transitional” aid over four months will be provisioned, in order to compensate for their losses – “the first payments will be made within two months”, he added. He specifies. This aid is in addition to the “discount” of 15 cents (the same as that granted to individuals) per liter of non-road diesel, to which farmers will be entitled from April. Some 60 million additional euros will also be released to reimburse part of their social charges.
Beyond this financial support, the Minister of Agriculture recalled that “new trade negotiations” will take place “without delay”, in order to “secure our producers”. Clear ? While the EGalim 2 law, which came into force at the start of 2022, aims to safeguard farmers’ income in the valuation of a product, “distributors must adapt the contracts binding them to their suppliers”, he warned. Translate: agree to revise their share downwards, so that the additional costs of farmers are taken into account. A meeting with all the players in the agri-food chain will be organized in Bercy on this theme “from Friday”.