Var Producers' Festival: this heavyweight that makes the South shine

A market " like no other." When Australian-Filipino chef Valentine Costuna (formerly of Astrid y Gastón in Lima, Peru, and listed several times among the best restaurants in the world) explains why he set up his cooking in Ramatuelle, at the Fondugues-Pradugues estate, after having traveled to the greatest Michelin-starred establishments around the world, the answer is as simple as pie: to source lamb from the Var, fish from the Mediterranean, local fruits and vegetables, and thus nourish his creativity.

"Everything starts with the seasonality of the product; it's the ingredients that shape my menu. I came to the south of France for the market cuisine. Here, with the Mediterranean sun, the products are bursting with flavor and the local offering is ultra-diverse," says the locavore chef.

Agriculture, the second economic engine of the department

These are words that cheer up the president of the Var Chamber of Agriculture, Sylvain Audemard. And they're corroborated by the figures: the department's agricultural production generates more than €950 million in annual revenue, employs 12,000 direct agricultural workers, and supports 4,391 farms.

"We are approaching a billion euros in value. After tourism (5 million euros in economic benefits for the 2024 season), agriculture is the second economic driver of the department," the president asserts.

The Alpes-Maritimes are not to be outdone, with a slightly different cultural model: the top 5 productions (flowers and plants, animal production, market gardening and fodder plants) generate an annual turnover of 77 million euros, according to Agreste 2022 data from the latest agricultural census in 2020. In the Var, unsurprisingly, the lion's share goes to viticulture and horticulture.

Var leadership in rosé wine and cut flowers

The world's leading producer of AOP rosé wine, with 40 million bottles exported worldwide each year, the department is also the leading national producer of cut flowers. This dynamism is illustrated by the Hyères flower market, the only one in Europe capable of competing with the Dutch market.

It is also the only department in metropolitan France with two research centers specializing in rosé wine and horticulture (the Asredhor experimental station created in 1984), to "innovate and strengthen the competitiveness of our local productions," argues Sylvain Audemard.

To this list we must add the pink fig of Solliès, of which the department is the world's leading producer, the lemon of Menton, olive oil (the Paca region accounts for 66% of national production) and ultra-diverse crops, in the Var as in the Alpes-Maritimes: horticulture, arboriculture, market gardening, mixed farming and livestock farming.

"Our agriculture is a reflection of Mediterranean agriculture. We are favored by the climate that bathes our contrasting territory between coast and mountains. We are far from the great plains of Beauce in Brittany. Here, there are valleys, valleys surrounded by forests, with a network of small farms that sell their produce mainly through direct sales," describes Sylvain Audemard.

This structure allows farmers to make money by adding value to their products, "with a gross production of 400 million euros and 600 million euros of added value, mainly in viticulture and cut flowers and leaves," the president calculates.

France's leading organic department

The icing on the cake is that the Var is also the leading department in metropolitan France for organic farming, with 43% of its utilized agricultural land (UAA) labeled organic or in conversion. Comparatively, 22% of the UAA in the Alpes-Maritimes is organic.

But with a stain on the tablecloth: in this South affected by galloping urbanization, agricultural land only covers 18% of the Var territory and 17% of the Maralpine land.

"Because scarce land is expensive, agricultural land is doomed to speculation. We must protect it as best we can," warns Sylvain Audemard, who will lead a roundtable discussion on Sunday in Saint-Raphaël on these key issues for the future of agriculture in the South.

A mini-farm fair in Var

It is to highlight and highlight this wealth of Var agriculture that the Nice-Matin Group has decided to organize a mini-agricultural fair anchored in the region.

This Saturday and Sunday, the Saint-Raphaël Convention Center will be the gateway to an infinite palette of flavors. Every "epicurean" is invited free of charge to meet those who make our taste buds sing.

Nearly fifty producers responded to the call to offer their best and thus draw up a plural map of the abundant Var agriculture.

From starter to dessert, you can create a gourmet basket or a 100% Var menu by purchasing bread, vegetables, meat, truffles, cheeses, yogurts, olive oil, vinegar, honey, biscuits, etc.

When it comes to drinks, winegrowers unsurprisingly take the lion's share, with around twenty producers representing all the nuances of the Var terroirs, from Estérel to Dracénie, passing through the Gulf of Saint-Tropez and as far as Pierrefeu, La Londe and Bandol.

You can also discover, as a preamble, the fruit juices from Mas de Donat (Toulon) or, for twilight, the hemp rum from Green Morango (Callian).

"Our duty is to support them"

This first Var Producers' Festival is a wonderful promise of springtime feasts. Simon Perrot, CEO of the Nice-Matin Group, outlines its genesis: " It all started with discussions about the Paris Agricultural Show in 2024. Industry stakeholders, institutions, private partners... We all agreed that the Var region should have its own agricultural show to showcase all producers, not just winegrowers. There was a shared desire to celebrate our agriculture, especially since the sectors are suffering. They are suffering from land pressure, the geopolitical situation, climate change, and even the problem of transmission. Our duty is to support them. We were already doing this through the newspaper, but we wanted to create an event to make our readers ambassadors. The local population needs to be involved. We saw this during the Covid pandemic, but it has been somewhat lost. We need to reawaken pride! "

The green light was given last February, with the official announcement made at the Paris Agricultural Show. There were only two and a half months left to put this event together. Suffice it to say that the Nice-Matin Group's events department and sales management team worked extra hard to meet the challenge.

The first edition of this festival, which aims to be a long-term event, will be held in Saint-Raphaël, with the support of the city, which has provided the convention center. Partners include the Department, the Chamber of Agriculture, and Crédit Agricole, all of whom are asserting their role as stakeholders in the industry.

Farm, music and food trucks

Because goat's milk doesn't grow in a bottle, an educational farm will allow young and old to see animals, some of which represent a sector: chicken, goose, pig, rabbit, guinea pig, goat, cow, donkey and even a llama who is salivating at the idea of ​​meeting you! It is the Ferme d'Espigoule in Ginasservis which is responsible for embodying the mini-fair in the Var.

Catering and entertainment

A catering area has been set up outside, with two food trucks offering burgers and salads (La Cantine du Rocher, Roquebrune-sur-Argens) as well as rotisserie poultry with La Ferme d'amours (Besse-sur-Issole).

To quench your thirst, Les Brasseurs de l'Estérel will be responsible for the hoppy notes while the Murennes estate (La Môle) will be running a wine truck . The musical entertainment will be provided by a local group: The Swingsons (gypsy jazz).

Current issues under debate

Alongside the feast, two round tables will spark debate on two current issues affecting the Var region: agritourism (Saturday at 3 p.m.) and the disappearance of agricultural land (Sunday at 11 a.m.).

Led by the deputy director of Var-matin , Guilhem Ricavy, these two exchange sessions will be enhanced by Martine Felio, the general director of Var Tourisme and Sylvain Audemard, the president of the Var chamber of agriculture.

Five farmers honored

For this first edition, the Nice-Matin Group, the Department, the Chamber of Agriculture and Crédit Agricole have decided to award five trophies rewarding farmers seeking excellence in a specific field (organic, short supply chain, gastronomy, agritourism and family transmission).

The jury has already deliberated and chosen the winners, who will be awarded this Saturday at 11 a.m.

Free entry

Join the Var Producers' Festival at the Saint-Raphaël convention center, Saturday, May 10 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday, May 11 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Admission is free. Engraved wine tasting glass: €5. Opening ceremony Saturday at 10 a.m., awards ceremony this Saturday at 11 a.m.