Farmers in Alsace, on France’s eastern border with Germany,yesterday dumped around 40 tonnes of fruit and vegetables in front of theprefecture of Strasbourg, according to L’Alsace newspaper, as demands continuedfor governmental action to ease the impact of the current crisis.
Growers in the region are selling at a loss, protesters say,partly due to a lack of uniformity when it comes to European wages, meaningthat it is no longer profitable to produce carrots, radishes and cucumbers inAlsace.
While a seasonal worker costs a German farmer €6 per hour,his French counterpart will have to pay at least €11.04 per hour, according to tradeunion federation the FRSEA.
As such, growers argue, the cultivation of fruit andvegetables is slowly shifting to the other side of the Rhine. Back in the early1990s, they say, producers in Alsace used to supply the German market.
According to reports, growers in Alsace have had to destroy1m salads since April.
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