Paris (AFP)

"A massive blow": faced with the ban on outdoor food markets to fight the spread of Covid-19, the sector is trying to reorganize to sell its production and calls for help.

"A joint work began this evening between Bercy, Agriculture, Work and Health, Marchés de France, FNSEA and the General Confederation of Food in detail", however, wanted to reassure a spokesman for the ministry economy.

The idea consists in establishing a "protocol of good practices for the markets" to "secure the flows" and thus encourage the mayors to "plead with the prefect the opening of such or such market", adds Bercy.

In the meantime, after the closure of restaurants and canteens, the noose tightens a little more around the producers, who are now prevented from selling their goods on the markets.

The government's decision to close the outdoor markets on Tuesday is a "massive blow", launched on France Inter Monique Rubin. The president of the National Federation of the markets of France did not expect these provisions: "it will be necessary that aid arrives" with great step. "

"We cannot be asked to continue producing to feed people and then forbid us to sell," protested the Rural Coordination, which suggests setting up markets on "sports facilities" in order to "enforce barrier gestures. ".

Especially since the supermarkets alone will not "be enough" to feed everyone, "knowing that their central purchasing closes for lack of staff and Spanish supply," said Serge Bousquet-Cassagne, president of the Chamber of agriculture of Lot-et-Garonne.

The measure responds to the request of many doctors to impose stricter provisions in the face of the pandemic.

- "The retail lobby" -

The executive, however, left the door open to exemptions, especially when the market is "the only" way to have "access to fresh produce".

"We do not capitulate", reacted on RTL Christiane Lambert, the president of the majority agricultural union FNSEA, which has already sent to all its departments its own "guide of good practices" with "measures to distance stalls" and " barrier gestures ".

"People will try to sell their stock directly, but it will not last," said AFP Christel Teyssedre, president of Saveurs commerce, a federation of early vegetables unions comprising 12,000 traders craftsmen in fruits and vegetables, including half operate on the markets in France.

She regrets, however, that the mass retail chains, which remain open, are doing well.

"I think it is the lobby of large distribution which orders in France from now on", reacted with anger Jean-François Guihard, president of the French confederation of the butcher, charcuterie, caterers (CFBCT).

"A secure market is healthier than confinement in supermarkets. We cannot sacrifice a whole section of the sector for the benefit of mass distribution," he adds.

The CFBCT brings together 80,000 jobs whose activity represents seven billion euros in annual turnover, 20% being insured on the markets, according to Mr. Guihard.

- PDO dairy products-

Those who wish to embark on direct sales can, however, rely for example on the Manger-français site, which offers to support them in creating a space on this online sales platform.

"Commerce is reorienting itself to mass distribution, so we have made proposals" to be able to sell PDO dairy products in stores, presenting them "pre-packaged" and "pre-cut", explains AFP Michel Lacoste , the president of the National Committee for Appellations of Dairy Origin (CNAOL). However, "exchanges with managers of large retailers" have not yet materialized.

The Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire rightly called on Tuesday the big brands to get their supplies from French producers to help them bypass the closing of the markets.

Several of them have already positioned themselves. System U will for example "highlight the origin of France on asparagus, strawberries," said France Inter Dominique Schelcher, the owner of the brand, who will also "pay cash" the invoices of "all" his suppliers to support their cash flow.

Carrefour wants to give a boost to French fishermen "by guaranteeing volumes and purchase prices on a dozen major species including mackerel, sardines, julienne or whiting".

For its part, Intermarché intends to communicate to encourage consumption of more local fresh products.

bur-im-vac-cd / ak / cbn

© 2020 AFP