A tray of French-produced chicken on sale in a supermarket (illustration).

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F. Perry / AFP

The period of commercial negotiations between distributors and suppliers is drawing to a close and anger is mounting among the peasants.

The Young Farmers Union (JA) of Pays-de-la-Loire announced on Tuesday the filing of three symbolic complaints against the State, large and medium-sized stores (GMS) and processors for breaches of the Food Law ( EGAlim).

These three complaints addressed to the public prosecutor of Nantes aim to denounce the insufficient consideration of the production costs of raw materials in the determination of the prices of agricultural products.

The sectors "suffer very strongly"

“The texts provide that the contracts concluded between a producer and his buyer must take into account production costs.

But this is not what is observed, ”denounced Alexis Roptin, president of the Young Farmers of the Pays de la Loire.

The union also regrets that the ordinance of December 12, 2018 raising the threshold for resale at a loss for food products by 10% has not benefited farmers.

This text, which was supposed to restore value to agricultural products, would not have achieved its objectives.

"The additional profits of the mass distribution generated by this increase should have trickled down to the producers but this was not the case", regretted Alexis Roptin, stressing that the beef, poultry, pork, milk and eggs sectors "Suffer very strongly from the increase in the prices of cereals on the international markets".

"Key issue for the survival of all agricultural sectors"

These complaints target the State, ten retail chains and three groups of processors (National Association of Food Industry, Coop de France and Culture Viande).

The JA of the Aquitaine region have already taken this step and other regions should follow, according to the same source.

According to Gaétan Bodin, president of the Young Farmers of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, this “symbolic” complaint aimed to “denounce the non-respect of the Egalim law” by the major distribution chains, accused of “not respecting the law”.

“We want production cost indicators to be respected.

It is an essential stake for the survival of all the agricultural sectors which sell at a loss, ”said Gaétan Bodin.

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  • Beef

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  • Farmers