The revenue generated from agriculture in France contributes to around 4% of the GDP of France and employs about 5% of the national labor force. After the United States, France exports the second highest amount of agricultural produce worldwide. France is also the only country in Europe that produces nearly all types of food crops and is totally independent from any other country in terms of food production. Out of the total land in France, 60% is used for agriculture”which is equivalent to 34% of the total agricultural land of the entire European Union. Out of the total land used for agriculture, 75% is used for growing crops while other 25% are used for pastures and meadows.

The important crops”like sugar beets, wheat and cereal crops”are grown in the Paris basin and northern regions of France. Fruits and vegedivs are grown in the central areas of France and in some extreme southern areas where there is moderate climate. Flowers are grown in the southeastern region of France, which has a Mediterranean climate. The perfume manufacturing industry is concentrated in this area. The world famous aspects of agriculture in France are the vineyards located mostly in the central region of France, which lies in the semi oceanic climatic zone. The major vineyards in France are located at Alsace, Champagne, the Loire Valley, Bordeaux, Medoc, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Languedoc, Jura, Rhone Valley, Savoy and Provence.

The other significant sector of agriculture in France is the diary industry, as well as cattle, goat and sheep rearing, and poultry farming. The French dairy industry is concentrated in western parts of the country. Its highest production is cheese that is consumed at domestic level and is one of France’s important agricultural exports. The cattle rearing for beef production is in the north and west while goat and sheep farming is done in the eastern parts of the country. The poultry industry is spread across nearly all parts of the country. France is the leading beef and chicken producer of the European Union. It therefore has excess quantities of beef and chicken, two of the important agricultural commodities that are exported from France to various countries in Europe.

Owing to the old agricultural practices that involved high levels of chemical fertilizers and insecticides, the soil in France has been degraded to such and extent that it has started to affect the agricultural production adversely. To overcome this problem, the French government recently implemented new policies and has started promoting organic farming on a massive scale throughout the country.