In the Vaucluse, the FDSEA federation and Young Farmers are accusing supermarkets of not respecting their commitments regarding local products. During the lockdown, large retailers had indeed announced that they would actively support local productions, but lately, foreign products have regained their place on the shelves.
“The worst at the moment is the melon. Spanish melons are everywhere, sometimes there is not even one French melon on the shelves, here in the Vaucluse, where we produce fruit and vegetables,” regrets Julien Bernard, vice-president of Young Farmers.
Thanks to verification operations, farmers have established a classification of the various retailers depending on their commitment to local consumption. “Establishing this ranking requires a lot of work to collect prices, see what the margins are…,” explains Julien Bernard.
The organization does not exclude consumer awareness actions. “The consumption habits of the last months must be continued,” according to Young Farmers. “This virtuous circle is only possible if large retailers widely distribute the products purchased at a profitable price for the farmers.”
Source: francebleu.fr