Wednesday November 20, 2024. A tractor equipped with a large trailer with yellow flags from the Rural Coordination union sets up across the access road leading to Scalandes. This Leclerc group logistics platform centralizes products from several thousand suppliers and supplies stores in five departments in particular.
“We arrived at the stroke of noon,” specifies Vincent Coco, president of CR 40. After occupying the axis of the prefecture for twenty-four hours, the Rural Coordination strikes a new blow by blocking access to the platform to trucks.
“The goal is not to starve people, but we must understand that without farmers, there is no more food,” says Olivier De Ginestet, cereal grower and poultry breeder in Saint-Sever. At midday, at least three trucks were blocked in front of the central purchasing and storage platform. “I delivered animal food and now I'm stuck, so I can't go home,” says Cristian, a Spanish truck driver who lives in Zaragoza. “I will have to wait until they lift the blockage,” says Jonathan, also a driver.
Access to loading docks is made impossible by waste.
Philippe Salvat / SO
The CR 47 multiplies operations
On site, farmers from Rural Coordination 40 set up marquees and light a fire in a metal barrel. Vincent Coco is responsible for operating the plancha already used during the occupation of the prefecture axis. And on everyone's lips, the same words: “Colleagues should arrive. » Understanding the farmers of CR Lot-et-Garonne (47).
The day before, they went to the Departmental Territorial Directorate in Agen. Dumpsters were filled with agricultural waste and dumped on Avenue de Colmar. The entrance to the General Directorate of Public Finances and the gates of the prefecture covered with rubbish.
Philippe Salvat / SO
End of day atmosphere at the Rural Coordination camp at Scalandes.
Having left Agen around 11 a.m., their arrival at Scalandes is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. At the same time, other farmers from CR 47 have taken the direction of Bordeaux and Montauban to block a power plant. Intermarché purchases.
1:30 p.m., the first tractors registered 47 arrive to the sound of horns at Scalandes. The reinforcements from Lot-et-Garonne are accompanied by other farmers from the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. In total, around thirty will be added to the workforce already on site.
“We don’t know how long we’re going to stay. We are waiting for the directives,” underlines Guillaume, cereal and seed producer in Francescas. “We will take turns so that everyone can run their farm,” adds Hervé.
“We will continue”
A little later in the day, the demonstrators reached the firefighters' roundabout in Mont-de-Marsan. Tires, pallets and straws are burned, creating thick black smoke in the sky.
For the duration of the movement, the Rural Coordination only leaks very little information. The only certainty: “As long as we do not have clear answers from our government, we will continue,” said Patrick Franken, first vice-president of the Chamber of Agriculture of Lot-et-Garonne. Other actions could be carried out on Thursday November 21 at the Landes prefecture.
Philippe Salvat / SO
Other actions could be carried out this Thursday, November 21.
Leclerc's reaction
Fabien Bornancin, the director of the Grand Moun (Leclerc) shopping center, expresses his helplessness in the face of the arrival of agricultural unions at the Mont-de-Marsan purchasing platform. “We are waiting. Turbulence is expected. Unfortunately, we do not have any stock exercise. We can only be passive and wait to see what they will do. »
Asked about the possibility of anticipating certain deliveries, the director replied: “We were able to do it, but very marginally, because given our volumes, we cannot change everything. » As for personnel, here too, the initiative was taken: “We prepared the teams to intervene, but also not to overreact and to keep a cool head. »
