INTERVIEW
Donatien Sénécal has seen a drop in sales of 30 to 40% in some markets, since the fire of the plant Lubrizol, in Rouen, September 26th. A beekeeper in Saint-Victor-l'Abbaye, Donatien Sénécal also has hives in Rouen. He spoke of the consequences of the fire on his work at the microphone of Europe 1, this Friday morning, while three ministers are expected on the spot. Élisabeth Borne, Agnès Buzyn and Didier Guillaume must, indeed, install this Friday a committee for transparency and dialogue.
"We expect from this visit the results of analyzes, to reassure the entire agricultural sector and so that colleagues can resell all their products, said Donatien Sénécal.A first part of the results should fall today normally. He notably recalled that the beekeepers had not seen their production impacted despite the prefectural decree taken on the restriction of placing on the market of certain productions such as milk.
"I did not notice excess mortality of bees"
The beekeeper has some hives located on Rouen. Half of her flock is placed under the communes which have undergone the passage of clouds of smoke. He detailed the impact of this fire on the behavior of his bees: "I did not notice any excess mortality of the bees, no hive was directly impacted, but for a small period, the Saturday after the fire, the hives were aggressive, some colonies killed their queens ". If the bees rebelled against their queen, it was because they had to deal with "a change in their habitat," added Donatien Sénécal. "Bees walk a lot with pheromones, maybe there was an impact on the smell of hives that could change their behavior."
The beekeeper is especially worried about a possible contamination of the "pollen that the bees were able to return after the fire". He is waiting for the results of the analyzes to dispel his doubts. 80% of the reserves were however made in July and August, the last harvests serving only to supplement the reserves. For now, it is too early to quantify all losses even if Donatien Sénécal sells less in certain markets. "Normally we will be compensated, a whole circuit has been set up quickly enough to address the concerns," he concluded.