Скачать или смотреть FRANCE: PARIS: FARMERS GIVE AWAY PRODUCE IN PROTEST

(9 Aug 1996) French/Nat

French farmers' plans to give away 50 tons of fresh produce in the middle of Paris to protest at sinking food prices were cancelled Thursday after thousands of hopeful recipients overran the protest site.

Farmers apologized for calling off the impromptu market and said they would instead donate their fruits and vegetables to charity.

Several farmers' unions had called the demonstration to protest what they said were slipping wholesale prices caused by the growing French reliance on supermarkets.

French farmers are victim of their own success.

To bring the attention of Parisian on their situation, they were planning to hold a free distribution (Thursday) of fresh products - fruits and vegetables - in front of Montparnasse station in the heart of Paris.

Eager basket-toting Parisians began to arrive early Thursday morning and by the 11 a.m. starting time thousands had massed behind fences around the baskets of melons, squash and cornucopia of French produce.

Farmers were protesting against extremely low prices which force them to sell at a loss their peaches, apricots and salads.

SOUNDBITE: (French)
"The average price paid to the farmers is more or less 1 or 2 francs whereas it costs to the farmers between 2,5 francs and 3 francs to produce (a kilo). Each time we collect a kilo of fruits, we lose almost 1 francs. So we can not keep on like that"
SUPERCAPTION : Roger Majoral, peach producer in South of France

As the distribution of food began, organizers repeatedly pleaded through the loudspeaker for calm, but the crowds persisted, with dozens of people running directly to the farmers' trucks to avoid the long queues.

Just before midday, a protest leader announced that the crowds' size had become dangerous and that the giveaway would be cancelled.

The distribution almost turned into a riot. And no one seemed to have been satisfied with it.

SOUNDBITE: (French)
"It is not possible, one cannot distribute fruits and take them out of the truck at the same time, it is not possible"
Q : Did you manage to get anything
A : "I only manage to get three apricots that is it. I wanted some peaches but I think I am going to forget about it".
SUPERCAPTION : VOX POP

For security reasons, farmers' unions, who organized the distribution called off the impromptu market and said the farmers would instead donate their fruits and vegetables to charity.

There were very few lucky people who got free salads for their dinner.

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