Beauvais (AFP)

Samples must be taken from Monday in the Oise in order to "remove the doubt" about the possible presence of chemicals in crops following the fire at the Lubrizol plant in Rouen, authorities said, faced with the concern of the farmers.

"This afternoon, the veterinary services, the protection of populations and the regional directorate of agriculture will visit some forty municipalities of the Oise identified as having a presence of soot to collect samples of matter plant or dairy products that will be directed to a laboratory, "said Monday the prefect of the Oise, Louis Le Franc, at a press conference.

The spectacular fire of Lubrizol chemical plant in Rouen on the night of Wednesday to Thursday caused many fears about the pollution of the air and soot falling on the ground. As a result, the Hauts-de-France authorities on Sunday banned "as a precautionary measure" the harvesting of crops and food of animal origin "until obtaining sanitary guarantees on the productions".

"Farmers are worried (...) The priority is to take these samples to remove the doubt, there may be heavy metals, dioxides, lead so the precautionary principle fully applies," said M The Frank at the end of a two-hour meeting in Beauvais with representatives of the agricultural world. The first results are expected in "about a week".

"The collection will have to be maintained and the products collected since 26 September will then have to be destroyed," said Le Franc. This situation will lead to compensation claims, "a question that engages the industrialist and therefore his insurer, and the State will also have to support this mechanism so that compensation can arrive quickly".

"We want to be sure that our products are healthy, but we especially want the agricultural world not to be forgotten and that we are well compensated if we destroy our productions", insisted AFP Regis Desrumaux, Secretary General of the FDSEA of Oise, saying to count on the support of the State.

Moreover, according to the prefect, "there is no problem on the consumption of tap water or air quality" for the inhabitants of the Oise.

The Minister of Agriculture Didier Guillaume must go to Rouen Monday afternoon to address the agricultural profession.

© 2019 AFP