In defence of the Mediterranean products and farmers

javi2541997

Sadly, France (as a good North European country) is ranting at Mediterranean products, countries and farmers again. I see that this European issue is not being observed and discussed in TPF.

I understand, because it is just another time when France is behaving like a drama queen, but what I want to reprove the statement of the PM of France, Gabriel Attal who claimed, without the evidence the following: “neighboring countries” (Spain, Portugal, Italy and even Greece) can use pesticides that are prohibited in France. He added that it was “hypocritical” to import fruit and vegetables from places that are “destroying their own ecosystem” to produce them. https://www.politico.eu/article/spain-france-tomatoes-gabriel-attal-pedro-sanchez/

Basic points on the filthy lie of Mr. Attal:

A) France is the largest benefactor of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). 17.3%
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/factsheets/en/sheet/104/the-common-agricultural-policy-in-figures

B) Are we destroying our ecosystem? The Mediterranean nations are by far more eco-friendly than France! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_carbon_dioxide_emissions

C) They state our farmers have more advantages than theirs. Seriously? :roll: All the supermarkets and distributors are from France, and it is obvious they will always root for their country. Look how they treat our product:

D) Although the taste is subjective, I think the consumer is free to choose between a Mediterranean or a French fruit or vegetable. We are not guilty if most people think our products are better. I suspect that what the French lobbies (Carrefour and Alcampo, for instance) want is to reduce our presence in the markets of the UK and the Benelux!

This is a very brief manifesto in defense of Mediterranean products and farmers. Please don't buy the lies of the French lobbies. It is obvious that a farmer from Rome, Andalusia, Porto or Athens does their job correctly.

These attacks against the integrity of a country's workers are very painful.

Nils Loc

Please don't buy the lies of the French lobbies. It is obvious that a farmer from Rome, Andalusia, Porto or Athens does their job correctly. — javi2541997

It's a classic tale that the small farmer stands in opposition to the economic forces of global trade. Go big (and cheap) or go home they say. Costs are way up and if the public can't afford the French quality produce, while cheaper imported produce is available, then more local farmers will cease to be. Farming is generally recognized as very difficult capital intensive job.

Lying and propaganda is/was always a part of political theater, seemingly more so then ever. Do the means justify the ends... maybe food for thought. Should we permit ourselves to exaggerate and propagandize from fear, suspicion, to get what we want. Whatever would stop us stretching the truth if we didn't already have the sense ( or ethical principles) to stop ourselves.

javi2541997

↪Nils Loc

Costs didn't go up in France only. And, in macroeconomic matters, a farmer from Spain or Bulgaria will always suffer from costs and losses more than a French person, because although they do not want to recognize it, CAP is mainly applied in France.

What I do not understand is the tale and effort of disrespecting our product. Being cheap is not related to being low quality. The consumers should be free to choose the product. I come from a family of farmers, and it was very difficult for them to export their product around the EU, the USA, Japan, etc. Because there are always stupid prejudices, and it disappoints me a lot how a developed nation such as France says this, just because they want the votes of their farmers.

I think the strategy is clear here: let's denigrate the image of Mediterranean products. Then the vegetables and fruits from France will always be there. We win and they lose. But this is very unfair because they already have the advantage of being more likable around the world. If you ask the average person where the wine or cheese comes from, they say France and maybe Italy, but they hardly remember Spain, Greece or Portugal...

They have us on the roads now: our products and its prices deserve more respect and fairness.

Lionino

I have not been keeping up with the news surrounding that, since the French chimp out every 6 months, but it seems that this time it may in fact affect me. I do buy wine and olives from the local Greek shop, for one. If I could I would buy a summer house in the Mediterranean to give myself at least a few weeks of happiness in the year, I would and it would be a heartfelt investment.

javi2541997

↪Lionino

I think (and actually believe) that you are Portuguese. Why? Because in the Climate Change you posted a picture with data by Iberdrola. Only this can come from Portugal and not from Brazil. When I posted this I thought you would be interested among Alkis (who is from Greece), so I nailed it again.

On the other hand, my intention is not to force people to buy our products (I include you here because I suspect you are South European too) but to dismiss the lies from the French PM. I thought it would be worth posting here. The consumers should be free to choose, and most people, on a large scale, want our products because of their quality, not because they are cheap...

Well, France always did this against the south. Whenever I see these conflicts, I understand why Brexit impacted the rural areas of the UK. Imagine being a legal and responsible farmer, and then a filthy manipulator says that your product is trash and, in France, should their vegetables only be noticeable because the rest don't respect the law. Disgusting.

I just wanted to deny that we do not use pesticides... it is a goddam lie!

Nils Loc

Here is an article which pertains to comparative (dis)advantage between France and other EU countries, due to France's own agricultural policy. It says that because of the EGalim law, 'French food prices are on average %15 higher than the European average'.

There is also the impression that sometimes non-French products are being marketed as French products to take the price advantage of the perception of quality/origin. This has been a known concern in the wine industry, where there is a very French label up front on a wine of Spanish origin (or wines of mixed origin). Similar protests and sabotaging Spanish wine is a precedent, and no doubt fuels the mistrust of farmers toward imports for the ongoing crisis.

Lionino

Why? Because in the Climate Change you posted a picture with data by Iberdrola. — javi2541997

Good deduction, I imagined this inference would be made, however one of the images I also posted in that post is in French, which you can't see anymore because the startpage link got corrupted, but it was this one:

1KI2Q6.jpg?rev=1.2

I avoid sourcing things from English as much as possible, hence the different languages.

When I posted this I thought you would be interested among Alkis (who is from Greece), so I nailed it again. — javi2541997

Well, isn't that the hottest topic right now? At least in Europe and the Med.

Well, France always did this against the south. — javi2541997

France does that against many nations. Their veiled protectionism does not align with the country's international agreements.
Also, the farmers are literally dumping crap onto government buildings, I wonder what they are hoping to achieve.

javi2541997

Here is an article which pertains to comparative (dis)advantage between France and other EU countries, due to France's own agricultural policy. It says that because of the EGalim law, 'French food prices are on average %15 higher than the European average' — Nils Loc

After reading the article I come with the same conclusion. French politicians and lobbies do not want Mediterranean products. They just want to put a label on each fruit or vegetable where it says: it comes from France. It is another tactic with the aim of denigrating the products of other countries. It is obvious that the wine of Italy is better, the oranges from Spain too, and the fish from Portugal as well. They do not want to accept this. I get mad because they want to start a fake news campaign now. The French politicians are acting like toddlers, honestly.

"We respect and apply the law, but they do not, and our supermarkets go there!"

Oh Jesus... I wish we did not have French supermarkets here. They literally make the Spanish farmers poor. Look how much they pay for basic vegetables such as potatoes. The farmers only gains around 0,15 € and the supermarket (Carrefour or Alcampo) multiples a lot the real price and gains...

This has been a known concern in the wine industry, where there is a very French label up front on a wine of Spanish origin (or wines of mixed origin) — Nils Loc

This is not true. Another filthy lie coming from them. We are proud of our origin in the wine industry. They are jealous because they perceive that our wine is kicking in the market notoriously.

Basically, they want to remove all Mediterranean products and only sell French in their country. Cool. But why do they sabotage our products? We just want to go to Ireland or Germany.

Nils Loc

This is not true. Another filthy lie coming from them. — javi2541997

As they say, it only takes a few bad apples to ruin the bunch and to stoke resentment. Agricultural fraud is rampant where folks stand to increase their profit by manipulating consumer perception and can get away with it. Some French are no doubt passing off Spanish wine as French wine. This behavior transcends national identities.There is a great series on Netflix, Rotten, which covers global fraud/corruption related to specific agricultural crops/resources. Both olive oil and honey are also major adulterated/mislabeled commodities.

But why do they sabotage our products? — javi2541997

So that the governments of both countries, or whatever EU political body, is forced to address their grievances. Throwing this tantrum of blocking highways, piling dung at the capital, sabotaging the competition as a statement, is a means to their end.

In defence of the Mediterranean products and farmers

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