The president of Corsica’s rural coordination met this morning with the prefect of Haute Corse and the director of the DRAAF to address the subject of anti-hail cannons. The agricultural union suspects this device of causing drought.
Three days after the submission by the Corsica Rural Coordination of a handrail to the Aleria gendarmerie, its president, Cyril Caria, met the prefect of Haute-Corse, Michel Prosic, this Tuesday, May 7, to address the issue of the use of anti-hail cannons.
According to the testimonies of several shepherds from the region of the plain of Aleria, Antisanti and Tallone, these devices which propel a shock wave into the atmosphere to slow down the formation of hail, would prevent rain from falling. This would cause a drought phenomenon, and could also, these farmers worry, upset the surrounding animal population.
For the agricultural union, this meeting, which the director of the DRAAF (regional directorate of food, agriculture and forests) of Corsica also attended by videoconference, was an opportunity to raise their concerns, and continue to “mobilize public authorities“.
A second point all the more important since the prefect of Haute-Corse has indicated that he is discovering the subject with the farmers. “We were able to discuss, establish what we know and what our questions are, explains Cyril Caria. Some French departments are already facing this problem. But it is still a complicated subject, and we cannot take things lightly.“
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Cyril Caria, the president of the Corsica Rural Coordination, spoke with the prefect and the director of the DRAAF this Tuesday morning.
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©Maïa Graziani, Axelle Bouschon / FTV
The discussions lasted a little less than an hour, and the president of Rural Coordination emerged, he assures, with the promise of the very soon launch of a “serious study“, coordinated in particular between the different DRAAFs, “to know if there really is cause and effect.
If this were the case, “if it is proven that anti-hail flares do indeed stop the rain, of course, another solution will have to be found, continues Cyril Caria. We are not talking about trying to ban, but about regulating shootings. And on the other hand, also, to help producers buy anti-hail nets, via France Agrimer and ODARC, to subsidize all these devices which would protect crops and their producers.”
The response from the prefectural services should come within ten days. The prefect of Haute-Corse has meanwhile not wished to comment on the subject, due to lack of sufficient information as it stands.
