- Score for degree of regional wealth (WRI)
It is important to stress that the sector-based data used in calculating the RVI scores are taken from
company databases (FADEN for agriculture, Amadeus for the food-processing and commerce). These
databases are not exhaustive and are subject to differences in the accounting rules, which vary greatly
from one country to the next and from one company to the next. The interest of these databases is that
they compensate for the deficiencies of the sector-based statistics and reflect the micro-economic
realities. The IRR and regional specialisation indices are drawn from Eurostat statistics (Regions
database).
Let us recall that each of these scores is a linear function of several performance indicators presented in
table 12. Each basic indicator consists of a ratio between a regional value and an inter-regional average, in
order to position the regions among themselves (benchmarking).
1.3 - The score functions
The score for the fresh fruits and vegetables sector
This function combines the economic indicators of sector dynamics, the performance of farms oriented
towards fruit or vegetable production, the presence of geographic labels of origin and specialisation of
regional agriculture (cf. table 3).
The fresh fruit and vegetables score displays considerable disparities between the regions10, both at
European level and within each country (difference of 1 to 30 between the last and the first position).
Hence, regions in Greece are either at the top (Ipiros-Peloponissos) or the bottom (Anatoliki, Thessalia)
of the ranking. The major Spanish (Andalusia, Valencia, Murcia) and Italian (Emilia-Romagna,
Campania) regions present good performances. The size of the farms represents an advantage: with the
exception of Ipiros-Peloponissos, La Huerta de Valencia and Centro-Ribatejo, the average turnover
achieved for fruit and vegetable production is high (more than 100,000 €). The good position of
Languedoc Roussillon (no.2) can be explained by the restructuring of farms and the economies of scale
achieved. Finally, the regions more highly specialised in fruit and vegetables would seem to hold an
advantage: among the leading regions, the proportion of fruit and vegetables in total agricultural
production is greater than 30%.
The score for the processed fruits and vegetables sector
This score combines indicators of an economic dimension with performance (margins) and cost ratios.
These different ratios are combined in a linear manner to provide a regional score for the fruit and
vegetable processing industry (cf. table 5).
The global score for the processed fruit and vegetable industry sees 4 French regions at the top of the
table: Brittany, a strong agri-business region with 21 companies totalling 1.6 billion € in turnover, Rhône-
Alpes, Pays de la Loire and Languedoc-Roussillon, which is smaller in size. The major Spanish (Murcia
and Andalusia) and Greek (Ipiros-Peloponissos and Sterea Ellias) regions are also well placed. The lower-
placed regions demonstrate a small turnover (Norte, Alentejo-Algarve, Aragon, Anatoliki Makedonia and
Calabria), with the exception of Emilia-Romagna. The scores can primarily be explained by growth
differentials (scale of 1 to 11) and more importantly performance differentials (from -2 to 13). Three of
the bottom four regions in the table recorded losses. The specialisation indicator, which falls between 1
and 5, is less determinant than for fresh fruit and vegetables, as is the costs indicator which only varies by
a factor of 2.5 (from 3 to 7).
The cost indicator is calculated by retaining 5 components in a linear relationship: total cost (turnover -
net earnings), financial costs (interests/turnover), taxation (taxes/turnover), agricultural raw materials
(ARM/turnover) and investment (depreciation/turnover). The relative counter-performance of certain
10 The 30 selected regions for the SRVI calculation 2 important region in terms of F&V production: Central
Macedonia and Aquitaine. In those 2 regions, the wholesale sector was not identifiable.