Farmers unblocked the commercial port of Bordeaux and a central purchasing center in Leclerc in the Landes

The troops of the Lot-et-Garonne Rural Coordination (CR47) unblocked the commercial port of Bordeaux as planned on Friday, November 22 in the morning to return to Agen, where the president of the FNSEA, a rival union, is expected for a congress . José Pérez, co-president of CR47, announced the lifting of the blockage Thursday evening, explaining that the Prime Minister had responded to demands concerning the « surtransposition » rules imposed by the European Union, which would penalize certain agricultural sectors.

Asked by Agence France-Presse whether the government was ready to reauthorize acetamiprid, an insecticide from the neonicotinoid family (neurotoxic insecticides), or other phytosanitary products requested by producers, Matignon said on Wednesday: “The pesticide subject is currently being arbitrated”.

“He said that the farmers were right and that he was going to look, overtransposition by overtransposition”repeated Mr. Pérez Friday morning. “We had undertaken, if he did that, to leave the premises, and in any case this morning we would have been dislodged by force, the regional prefect told us that yesterday. We don’t want to give them this honor, so we’re going to leave with our heads held high.”he added.

“The war is far from won”

The blockade of the Bordeaux port, seventh in the country for goods traffic, which began Wednesday evening, was the last major action carried out this week. The CR47 wanted to denounce the importation of foreign cereals, subject to standards different from those in force in France. But the port authorities have expressed their ” incomprehension “asserting that “Bordeaux is a cereal export port serving the regional agricultural sector” and that he “do not import cereals”.

Friday morning, the Landes Rural Coordination also unblocked a Leclerc purchasing center in Mont-de-Marsan after “an agreement with the prefect”according to its president Vincent Coco. Three other mass distribution platforms remain blocked in Charente and other actions are planned for Friday in Lot-et-Garonne.

“The war is far from won, we want actions now, not words, we are not going to give up. From Monday, we will call the Prime Minister”concluded Mr. Pérez of the CR47 before taking the road to Agen.

The National Congress of Vegetable Producers is being held on Friday at the city's exhibition center, where Arnaud Rousseau, president of the FNSEA, rival union of Rural Coordination (CR), is expected. Activists and tractors from the CR47, returned earlier from Bordeaux, set up near the site.

Thursday evening in a press release, the FDSEA47 had accused the Rural Coordination, with text messages in support, of wanting to disrupt the event. “We are not here to fight between farmers”declared Friday morning to Agence France-Presse Jean-Pierre Labeau, cereal grower and CR47 delegate. “Mr. Rousseau, we have things to say to him, but we [les] will tell him elsewhere, perhaps this is not the place. » “An action is likely to hinder access to the National Vegetable Congress”soberly reported the Lot-et-Garonne prefecture in a press release.