French growers unite in blocking Spanish trucks over dumping accusations
French farmers in the south of the country yesterday blocked a large number of Spanish trucks carrying produce on the highway in protest over what they described as 'economic dumping', according to Midilibre.fr. 
The Montpellier-based publication reported that around 200 growers from 20 regional departments set up blockades on the road some 14km (9 miles) from the Spanish border in Perpignan.
A representative of the Departmental Federation of Farmers Unions (FDSEA) branch in Perpignan reportedly said he demanded France to complain to the Spanish authorities for producers exporting their produce in order to preserve their higher prices.
"When a kilo of peaches costs €1.10 [US$1.47] in Madrid but only €0.50 [US$0.67] upon entering France, there's going to be economic dumping," FDSEA regional president Yvan Haris was quoted as saying.
Haris also accused Spanish exporters of 'environmental dumping' by taking advantage of France's more relaxed laws concerning damages caused to the environment.
The story said that a large proportion of the French farmers were fruit growers, with some garlic producers also present. Around 20 local police officers were also said to be monitoring the situation closely.
The protesters slowly allowed the arriving traffic to filter through and handed out peaches or cherry tomatoes accompanied by leaflets explaining their actions, according to Midilibre.fr.
Haris explained that the protests were not directed at the Spaniards, but at the French authorities for not providing support for their issues they had continuously raised since the end of last year.
"The government and the politicians have to understand our problems," he was quoted as saying.
"The only people who don't earn money here are the French farmers. We just want to live by our own means. We're not delinquents - we're family men."
Spain's Federation of Fruit, Vegetable, Flower and Live Plant Grower Exporter Associations (FEPEX) said in a statement it had repeatedly asked the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure an undisrupted passage for Spanish trucks on French territory. as stipulated by measure adopted by the European Commission (EC).
Photo: www.shutterstock.com
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