val de loire 2

Centre-Val de Loire Region

CENTRE_VAL_DE_LOIRE

A major region for wine-growing and cereal crops

World-renowned for its wine – 30% of which is exported – the region also produces a large quantity of cereal grains, and is the home to several major innovation centers.

A major cereal-crop region, with over 60% of its surface devoted to agriculture – Centre-Val de Loire is home to a divers agriculture-and-food industry that emphasizes exports.1 The principal destination market is the United Kingdom, followed by Germany and Belgium.2

Three types of products had a surplus trade balance in 2017: beverages, with Monin, the world leader in high-end syrups,3 pet food – with the presence of the American multinational Mars Petcare,4 and finally,5 dairy products, with Laiteries H. Triballat, best known for their Rians brand.

In order to unite all of the players (producers, artisans, processors, etc.) with a single visual identity, last December, the Region launched the “© du Centre,” for meticulously selected products.

Thanks to the presence of digital incubators, like AgreenTech Valley, dedicated to digital technologies for plants, and the Food Val de Loire agri-food pole, Centre-Val de Loire is a pilot region in terms of innovation in terms of agriculture and the food industry.

The region boasts several world-famous wines, including Sancerre, Vouvray, Bourgueil and Chinon, and the sector6 stands out for its quality labels: 90% of Centre-Val de Loire wines have an Appellation d’Origine Protégée, as opposed to 66% nationally. One third of the wine production is exported, essentially to the United States (40% by volume), the United Kingdom (20%) and Canada (7%).7

To assist small- and medium-sized businesses in developing exports, the Region offers individual subsidies8 as well as financing group actions like trade-fair participation, meetings with buyers, and other promotional events organized by Dev’Up, the regional economic-development agency.

The Region has also committed to ecological transition via its “Ambition Bio 2022” (“Ambition: Organic 2022) plan. The goal is 15% of total cultivated area under organic or in conversion within the next two years, as opposed to just 3.2% in 2018.9

Key figures of Centre-Val de Loire region

The Centre-Val de Loire region exported for 1 billion euros worth of agricultural and food industries products in 2017, 1/3 of total revenue.
The principals destinations markets are United Kingdom, Belgium and Germany.
Centre-Val de Loire is the fourth largest French region for cereal crops, 12% of national production.
Centre-Val de Loire is the third largest AOC-PDO wine-growing region (the region has 22 PDO and 2 PGI).
90% of the region’s wines benefit from an Appellation d’Origine Protégée.
224,093 of wine were exported in 2018 (6 million gallons), 30% of production.
Centre-Val de Loire provided 60% of the country’s production (in 2017).
PDO Goat-cheese has 5 appellations.
Centre-Val de Loire wants to increase by x5 the total cultivated area under organic or in conversion fivefold within the next two years and have 15% of its arable land under organic.

1 – The agri-food industries exported products with a total value of €1 billion in 2017, accounting for a third of total revenue.

2 – Source: French Customs Agency

3 – The firm export 25 million bottles a year

4 – Which owns the Pedigree, Whiskas, Sheba, Kitekat and Canigou brands

5 – Source: Centre-Val de la Loire French Customs Agency

6 – The sector generated €126 million in revenue in 2017.

7 – Dev’Up

8 – Such as the Volet Export scheme, which offers subsidies covering up to 50% of expenses related to conquering new markets (up to €20,000)

9 – Organic Agency 2018