The success of farmers came to Paris to defend the French production – Le Figaro

Feature – Producers of Lot-et-Garonne came Bastille Square to sell their fruits and vegetables “at the right price,” denounce the margins of the big distribution and importation of processed products with pesticides banned in France. The operation was a success.

“The twelve tons of fruit and vegetables were sold in two hours, the operation was a great success! “says Gilbert Dufourg, farmer and vice president of Modef the Lot-et-Garonne. As every year the minority farmers’ union had organized a sale of fruits and vegetables live in Paris Bastille Square to defend the French production.

“We came to promote our products and to denounce abusive margins of retailers,” said Joel Relieves, producer of plums Galapian in the Lot-et-Garonne. To do this, the farmer sold his fruits’ quality, maintaining a remunerative price to the producer while offering lower prices than supermarkets. Now our production costs are higher: we have small surfaces and grow into ‘farming’, with few pesticides. We want to prove we can deliver fresh products in the Paris region maintaining reasonable costs, “insists the farmer.

Even goal for Jean Pierre Marchand, gardener of Lot-et-Garonne. “I came to sell my tomatoes and potatoes at a remunerative price for us at the right price, and the remaining 30% cheaper than in supermarkets.” It has sold its kilo of tomatoes Marmande 1.50 and 4 euros net 5 kg of potato Agata, or 80 cents per kilo. The price of the French round tomatoes sold 1.85 euro in supermarkets now, according to the course website Agrimer. Similarly, a variety of comparable potato is sold between 1 euro and 1.60 euro per kilo in supermarkets, according to the site Agrimer.

Place de la Bastille at the end of the operation Photo Credits: LIONEL BONAVENTURE / AFP

Some 55 tons of tomatoes, melons, plums, pears, potatoes, salads, beans, nectarines have been offered to consumers Ile, 22 tons Place de la Bastille and the rest in various outlets in the Paris suburbs. Place de la Bastille, the operation was a great success. To 10H, the fifteen producers from Lot-et-Garonne had passed all stocks routed in the capital. Empty crates formed a wall at the end of the Place de la Bastille while activists PCF, partner of the operation, they sold the last bag of tomatoes, melons and apples from land southwest of France, Parisians . “I came to support farmers and also find quality products, says Marie-Lou, a client of the market. “I’m aware of what’s going on and I’ll focus on the markets to buy as much as possible, organic,” says the inhabitant of the area.

the European Community should impose common standards in all European countries on the use of pesticides

the producers had indeed heart to defend their actual production in agriculture “reasoned”, near the organic. They denounce the “sanitary dumping” of countries importing into France of processed fruits and vegetables with pesticides banned in France. “We denounce the inconsistencies in Europe on the use of pesticides. The European Community should impose common standards for all European countries on the use of pesticides. Some countries allow prohibited products in France gold products are sold in France, this introduces unfair competition and especially hazardous to health, “says Jean-Pierre Marchand. The producer is worried for the future of the sector but, after 35 years of occupation, he continues to fight for a profession that fascinates him.