Protesting fruit and vegetable producers in Southern France have announced plans for further actions today, after numerous producers, their industries having slipped into crisis, congregated upon France's ports and borders over the past month, blocking imports which would be sold cheaper than French fresh produce. image expired

The producers demand a government bailout to help the sector which they claim is "dying amid a climate of indifference." Claude Rossignol, president of a regional FDSEA (agricultural union) branch, spoke of the "economic and social catastrophe playing out in the countryside."

According to M Rossignol, farmers in his region had been selling their tomatoes at a considerable loss. He said that while price of production had risen to 80 cents per kilogram, producers were forced to sell their tomatoes at around 30 cents/kg.

He said that this was compounding residual problems from the springtime, leading to a real crisis in the industry. The spring drought, which affected French produce and grains, resulted in fruit and vegetables maturing earlier than usual. This, combined with the after effects of the E.Coli crisis at the start of the summer, which led to a drastic reduction in sales of tomatoes, lettuce and cucumber especially, means storage space is running out.

M. Rossignol elaborated, "cold rooms are already full of products from the Southern hemisphere which remain unsold, while we need room as the apple and pear harvest has begun." He added, "We have alerted the government to the situation."

Members of French farming unions have launched direct actions against supermarkets which import cheaper produce from abroad. French president Nicholas Sarkozy said in July that "European produce, which has higher tracability, ought to be shown preference." M. Rossignol said he agreed with Sarkozy's sentiments, but that his pronouncement was "just talk." In France, the farmers have been directing their attention on produce from elsewhere in the EU.

French producers promise direct actions

In light of the crisis facing their industry the FDSEA and Young Farmers' Union (JA) have promised to meet in the Bouches-du-Rhône region, where Marseilles is located, today (Thursday 11th) along with colleagues from neighbouring regions to stage protests and direct actions. On Tuesday, protesting farmers descended on a toll booth on the A9 autoroute where they emptied the loads of five Spanish lorries before targeting a wholesaler and Lidl supermarket suspected of stocking Spanish produce

In July, farmers showed their discontent by dumping peaches taken from a Spanish truck in front of the Spanish consulate in Perpignan and attacking lorries carrying cheaper produce from Spain and Italy. The actions in July were in response to falling incomes among farmers, some of whom had seen their income slip 50 per cent.

UK farmers diversify to compete

In the UK, where, according to Defra statistics 90 per cent of the fruit eaten comes from abroad, some farmers are trying to break into the market for more exotic fruit, which is what attracts consumers to imported produce.

Stephen McGuffie grows cantaloupe and galia melons in Staffordshire. He propagates seed in February to March, and plants the melons in April or early May in polytunnels. He said, "with the recent warm weather we have had, we have certainly seen the melons maturing very quickly." McGuffie is currently harvesting his melons on his farm near Lichfield. He acknowledged that in Spain, the warmer climate means they can produce more fruit in a given area, although he pointed out that, as Spanish producers want an early production, they also grow their melons under polytunnels, to come onto the market in May and June.

Mr McGuffy therefore believes there is a niche in the market for Northern European producers harvesting from late July to early September, before the Southern hemisphere produce comes onto the market.

Dr Chris Atkinson, head of science at East Malling Research, welcomed McGuffy's initiative saying he believes the UK needs to grow more of its own fruit to increase its food security. He explained sustainable intensification, using fewer inputs and growing more food, more efficiently, is on the increase in the UK, pointing to leaps forward in UK cherry production in recent years. Dr Atkinson said, "The ways in which we grow fruit have become more efficient... people now realise this is an important area. This is something we have to do to ensure a secure food supply."