“In 2020, Ukrainian seeds obtained equivalence to enter European markets,” recalls Franck Laborde, president of the General Association of Corn Producers (AGPM) on November 28, 2024 during a press conference. At the time, it was about supplying markets in Eastern Europe, and occasionally in the West if we lacked a particular variety. » But the quantities imported into France “exploded”.
According to the AGPM, they were multiplied by 13 between 2021-2022 (9,184 quintals) and 2023-2024 (120,981 quintals). In 2019-2020, before equivalence, these volumes were much more limited, with 693 quintals.
Request for activation of a safeguard clause
The AGPM calls for activating a safeguard clause at the level of the European Union, to limit these imports “while the geopolitical situation stabilizes”, indicates Franck Laborde. After having started discussions with the previous government, the AGPM indicates that it will send a letter this November 28 to Annie Genevard, Minister of Agriculture, so that her services can take this request to Brussels.
According to Franck Laborde, the production costs of Ukrainian corn seeds are half as high in Ukraine as in France. And these seeds “come directly into competition with our French productions. » He recalls that France is the leading European producer and the world's leading exporter of corn seeds.
Call to choose French seeds
Benoit Laborde, president of the corn seed section of the AGPM, called on corn producers to “be vigilant in consuming French seed” during the corn congress in Pau on November 22. “We are distorting competition” with Ukraine, he insists. However, according to him, “agriculture should not be the sector that provides military aid to Ukraine. »
