Faced with land pressure in Brittany, setting up in agriculture is becoming a complex challenge. The quest for agricultural land faces obstacles such as the mismatch between supply and demand, increased competition and a diverse panorama of profiles and projects among the candidates.
In 2023, the installation reception point in Brittany was contacted by 317 individuals looking for land, each presenting varied profiles and projects, but all faced with the reality of an arduous land search. Marie-Isabelle Le Bars, installation and transmission project manager at the regional chamber of agriculture, underlines the complexity of monitoring these requests, ranging from those who do not succeed to those who install without assistance, change their mind or move.
Currently, the regional chamber of agriculture records no less than 773 requests from candidates looking for land, received during the years 2022 and 2023. However, the challenge persists, marked by a significant gap between supply and demand. Marie-Isabelle Le Bars observes this paradox, characterized by a lack of land for certain candidates, contrasting with a lack of candidates for certain available plots.
This imbalance is also manifested in the variable mobility of project leaders, with many requests concentrated around cities and in coastal areas. The emphasis is placed on plant requests, often associated with small areas, while many livestock takeover offers remain unanswered. In addition, the low demand for installation in association raises questions about the potential costs linked to a takeover, such as the transformation or bringing buildings up to standard, as well as the profitability of the operations to be taken over.
Another aspect highlighted by Marie-Isabelle Le Bars concerns the “clash of generations”, a phenomenon where transferors feel a potential divergence in projects when they transfer their farms. This complex dynamic between the supply of land and the aspirations of candidates underlines the need to find innovative solutions to overcome the growing challenges of setting up in agriculture in Brittany.