Protests and blockades by French producers at the border are affecting all Spanish goods heading towards destinations on the continent, including the vegetables from Almería, whose campaign is currently in full swing. While only some trucks have been hit by violent behavior, such as looting or fires, "all productions are currently affected by the delays that the incidents are causing. We cannot forget that Almeria's products heading towards Europe have to necessarily pass through France," says Adoración Blanque, president of ASAJA Almería.
"French producers have picked the wrong enemy by attacking the Spanish productions," she says. "When the protests started in France, Poland, Germany, etc., the Spanish sector already stated that we absolutely agreed with their complaints, highlighting that EU policies are excessively restrictive with European producers and that European agriculture is almost boycotted by these laws, weakening it against third countries and making the activity unviable."
"But every time there is a protest by producers in France, we are affected, and the French gendarmerie and the French government do little to prevent it. We have seen shocking images of overturned and burned trucks at the border, some of which were transporting products from Almeria. It is unacceptable."
It is important to stress that the problem is not caused by the Spanish productions, but by community regulations, says Adoración. "And French producers should be aware that they are harming other producers just like them, who are also affected by the same problems caused by Brussels' policies and unfair competition, maybe to an even greater extent."
"In addition to the destruction of the goods of some trucks at the border, the entire sector is affected by these protests. Shipments are delayed, so producers are not harvesting during the peak of the winter campaign."
"Prices had already dropped in recent weeks because the weather conditions were really good for the production, and the market is subject to the law of supply and demand. But now, with the halt of shipments, there are actually no prices to be reported."
"We are subject to the same policies and demands and believe that the way in which they are punishing and harming producers who are in the same situation is abhorrent. We have asked the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, as well as that of Economy, Trade and Entrepreneurship, as well as the Government, to defend Spanish agriculture from the attacks it is receiving and demand the French government to stop them."
For more information:
ASAJA Almería
Tel.: +34 950 29 09 56
info@asajaalmeria.org
https://asajaalmeria.org