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Fabien Hisbacq
Published on
Nov. 28, 2024 at 9:02 a.m.
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Farmers began blocking the site on Tuesday, November 26, 2024. Danone in the Gers. At the call of the Rural Coordination, they dumped skips in front of the entrance to the Villecomtal-sur-Arros factory.
The union criticizes the agri-food giant importing oats abroad and asks the group to commit to producing it on site, otherwise the blockage will continue.
A brand new site that produces plant-based drinks
Danone abandoned the processing of dairy products on site a few months ago in order to become “a new reference in plant-based oat juice in Europe with the production of plant-based drinks for the Alpro brand”. The site was inaugurated at the beginning of 2024.
The problem is that the group cannot immediately respond to the request of the agricultural union, which has been very virulent for several months in the Gers. And explains it to Occitanie News.
The oats come from Spain, but it is “transitory” promises the group
“At present, the vast majority of oats come from northern Spain,” recognizes Danone. But it is quite simply because the local sector does not exist. “It’s a regret,” continues the group, which has established partnerships with two local cooperatives to be able to create this sector and initiate oat seeds.
“It’s not not at all a desire on our part to source from Spain. It’s something transitional,” insists Danone, which requires time to create something to replace it in France. “Although the results are encouraging, we are still trying to identify the right business model in the long term, both for the farmer and for us,” specifies the agri-food giant in a press release, ensuring that it is committed “ historically in the support” of French food sovereignty.
The siege lifted
On Wednesday, November 27, in the evening, the siege was lifted by the farmers.
Rural Coordination is pleased to have carried out four days of action last week and two this week, “the courage to go up against a giant of the agro industry, the courage to hold on until the end.”
Harvests in 2026
Thursday morning, in a second press release, Danone promises to “continue the work undertaken with all farmers with a view to achieving a sowing campaign in mid-2025, for harvests by 2026”.
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