Farmers in Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean who are struggling to pay their bills have sounded the alarm bells in the face of inflation, as well as the increase in interest rates and production costs which threaten the future of their business.
“It’s unheard of, because it happens suddenly. There was an eight-time increase in the interest rate,” confirmed Martin Caron, general president of the Union des producteurs agricole.
In Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, farmers are concerned about the impact of the current situation on their business.
“There is one in five producers who are currently in a precarious situation in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean,” explained Mario Théberge, president of the Union of agricultural producers of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean.
In a survey conducted by the union of agricultural producers of Quebec, the portrait in the region is alarming, while 12% of them plan to close within the year if their financial situation does not improve.
The increase in the cost of inputs has also reached record highs, and for some producers the cost of fuel has doubled. One of them saw its bill go from $41,000 in 2021 to $84,000 in 2022.
They appeal to the government in the hope of receiving financial assistance.
“In the United States, they had financial assistance, Europe […] Also. Despite the last two budgets, there has been no assistance to improve the programs,” said Martin Caron.
The next generation of farmers is also particularly impacted and hopes that the message will be expected.
2023-04-28 23:18:05
#Inflation #farmers #fear #business
