Chapter 612: The Achievements of France
Over the past two years, "stone fertilizer"—phosphate-based fertilizers—had become widely accepted among French farmers.
After all, it genuinely boosted wheat yields by over 10%, and its price was reasonable. Phosphate rock, being little more than "stones" at the source, cost almost nothing. Most of the expenses were incurred during transportation, making the final product quite affordable.
Additionally, with agricultural advisory services and church-led promotion efforts, nearly every French household had adopted new composting techniques.
Combining phosphate fertilizer with compost, French wheat and potato yields increased by about 14% compared to the previous year. This growth would have been even higher had some farmland not been converted for sugar beet cultivation. Furthermore, soil fertility improved noticeably, extending fallow cycles from three years to four.
Despite these impressive statistics, Agriculture Minister Vernier downplayed the achievement. Compared to Mirabeau's stunning industrial growth data, he felt his numbers weren't as eye-catching.
Progress in Agriculture
Since French farmers had gained the right to purchase land, their motivation to improve farming techniques had surged. With support from the Agricultural Advisory Service, modern farming tools and fertilizers spread rapidly.
After years of natural disasters and frequent near-famine conditions, French agriculture had finally stabilized.
Vernier then shifted his focus to Tunisia's olive plantations.
France had been importing olive oil from Tunisia for years, but quantities were limited. As a result, the French primarily relied on butter or sunflower oil for cooking.
However, in early 1791, Vernier had visited Tunisia to promote composting. While there, he noticed the abundance of olive trees.
Tunisia, he realized, was an olive grower's paradise. Olive trees thrived with minimal care, faced few pests, and yielded high production. Yet, most were neglected, left to compete with weeds and shrubs, with ripe olives often eaten by monkeys or birds.
This inspired Vernier to introduce olive plantation models in Tunisia.
When Joseph reviewed Vernier's proposal, he immediately approved it, even offering tax breaks and subsidies for planting olive trees.
At first, Joseph viewed the initiative primarily as a means to develop Tunisia's economy. However, Vernier's efforts yielded unexpected benefits.
In Tunisia, olive trees were so abundant that with minimal investment, vast stretches of land could be fenced off and turned into plantations.
With government subsidies covering much of the cost, establishing a plantation became virtually free.
The Olive Boom in Tunisia
Many French immigrants in Tunisia and local nobility jumped at the opportunity to establish olive plantations. Nearby Tunisian tribes provided ample labor, with even women and children earning modest wages for tasks like weeding and watering.
Thanks to Vernier's efforts, Tunisia had over 100 olive plantations within a year. With careful management, olive yields soared. Last year, olive oil shipments from Tunisia to France increased by 190%.
Moreover, Vernier, with Mirabeau's support, encouraged investors to build four large olive oil mills in Tunisia. By pressing olives and packaging the oil locally, transportation costs dropped significantly.
These efforts drastically reduced the price of olive oil in France, making it cheaper than sunflower oil. As a result, French households began using olive oil more liberally in their cooking.
A popular new dish in Paris, "Pan-Seared Beef with Asparagus," relied on olive oil for frying and became a trendy "bourgeois" meal for the working class. Even some bakeries began adding a touch of olive oil to black bread to improve its flavor.
Vernier's report highlighted plans to build three more oil mills in Tunisia this year. Combined with the rapid expansion of plantations, olive oil prices were expected to drop another 15% after the October harvest.
An unforeseen result of this initiative was the significant number of French people emigrating to Tunisia to run plantations. Joseph's 60% tax break on plantation revenues made the venture highly attractive.
Last year alone, nearly 100,000 people emigrated to Tunisia. Currently, there were over 250,000 registered French immigrants in the region, alongside an estimated 20,000–30,000 additional settlers from Italy and Spain.
The olive trade also spurred urban development in Tunisia. Towns began forming around olive mills, with two communities already crowdfunding to construct wooden railroads connecting their towns to the port of Bizerte.
In short, Vernier's "olive strategy" had placed Tunisia's development on a fast track.
Reports from Other Ministers
After Vernier's glowing report, the Trade and Census Ministers followed with their updates.
However, their achievements seemed modest compared to the industrial and agricultural progress.
Trade Minister Baye's most significant accomplishment was establishing sales networks for the "Special Trade Association" in India, the Caribbean, and Brazil. But since this was sensitive information, he avoided discussing it in detail during the cabinet meeting.
Instead, Baye focused on increased exports to German and Italian markets.
French trade caravans, employing innovative slogans like "Not 999 francs!" and "Invite friends to 'slash the price,'" had become household phrases across much of Europe, driving sales to unprecedented levels.
With industrial costs steadily declining, products like wine, paper, and chemicals dominated markets in Southern Germany and Italy. Steel, machinery, and furniture also captured a growing share of these markets.
Even in Russia and the Ottoman Empire, French goods were steadily displacing British products.
The Census Minister seemed envious of Vernier, as his own highlight—encouraging mass migration to North Africa—had already been mentioned in the agricultural report. Instead, he briefly touched on efforts to conduct a population census in Corsica and the introduction of identification cards.
France's Strengthened Naval Ambitions
For the first time in a while, the Minister of the Navy, Marquis de Castelli, had a reason to stand and speak. He proudly discussed the construction of new steam-powered warships and developments at the naval academy.
Reflections of a Queen
As Queen Marie listened to the ministers' accounts of France's astounding progress over the past year, she felt a surge of pride and excitement.
Her gaze turned to Joseph, and her heart swelled with emotion:
All these achievements began after the Prince took over the cabinet. My son truly is a child blessed by the heavens. His political talent surpasses mine and perhaps even rivals that of his grandmother.
Marie's mother, Maria Theresa, had been one of Austria's greatest rulers and the person Marie admired most.
For a moment, the Queen felt a pang of regret. Perhaps I should have entrusted governance to Joseph earlier.
But her face soon softened into a smile. Still, his success is a testament to my careful guidance. I'll continue supporting him from behind the scenes, ensuring France grows ever stronger!
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