Rising production costs : Reunion Island farmers under pressure

All Senators of La Réunion, supported by agricultural unions and local authorities, have sent a letter to Annie Genevard, Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty.

In it, they advocate for maintaining the Specific Supply Regime (RSA), deemed essential for preserving local sectors and combating the high cost of living. This measure compensates for the additional costs related to the overseas distance for importing raw materials for animal feed.

However, its value has not been reassessed for over a decade, while inflation has significantly increased production costs. Faced with this rise, Réunion farmers risk passing these increases onto the prices of local products, thus threatening their competitiveness against imports.

Local officials, the region, the departmental council, and agricultural unions believe this aid is indispensable to ensure the island’s food self-sufficiency and support producers facing economic challenges. They therefore urge the government to support this amendment, which they consider necessary for the sustainability of Réunion agriculture and residents’ purchasing power.

The island’s economic and agricultural stakeholders remain attentive to the decision of the Joint Mixed Commission (CMP).