Modef, the French federation of farmers' unions, will this week stage a protest against the 'unreasonable margins' of the supermarkets.
The group are organising a day of selling fruit and vegetables from the Lot-et-Garonne department at 'fair prices', in Paris and in 27 suburbs of the capital.
Approximately 40 tonnes of produce, including tomatoes, melons, plumbs, nectarines, pears, potatoes and salads, was distributed, according to a report from Lsa.fr.
'The long distribution channels developed by the retailers over the last half century are degrading fruit and vegetables, separating consumers and farmers, and seeing the retailers take unacceptably high margins,' Modef stated in a press release.
The federation's secretary general, Raymond Girardi, took tomatoes as an example, revealing that the supermarkets pocket a margin of €1-€2 per kilo.
He suggested that the state should become more involved and needed to perform its role as a protector of the buying power of both farmers and consumers.
