La filière lin oléagineux française : panorama et perspectives

Linseed oil crop production does not succeed in reaching stable acreage in France and does not meet the demand coming from users which incorporate linseeds, which display high content in omega 3 (alpha-linolenic acid), in animal feeding in order to deliver food enriched in omega 3 by natural way (dairy products, eggs, ham...). However, several driving forces should encourage this crop, like the shortfall in linseeds in the European Union and the environmental changes expected from agriculture. That is why the French oilseed crop organisation (Onidol) and the French technical institute for oilseed crops (Cetiom) launched in 2008 a study about the linseed situation in France. Aim of this work was to get a better understanding of each stage of the linseed chain production from the linseed cultivation to the users and to draw perspectives for the future of this crop in France. To do that a large survey was carried out according to methods adapted to each considered sector. A great attention was given to the progress of the variety offer because the yield gap between linseed and other crops in the rotation is probably one of the most important factors explaining the crop stagnation in France. The synthesis presented in the present paper allows identifying encouraging signals for the future and points the major drawbacks to overcome and the main advantages to take advantage from for developing linseed in France