French apple growers are up in arms at the volume and price points of imported apples being marketed in France.
Bruno Dupont, president of the French growers’ union Fédération Nationale des Producteurs de Fruits, has written to the owner of the Leclerc supermarket chain Michel-Edouard Leclerc to express his “stupefaction and revolt” at Brazilian Royal Gala being promoted at €1 (£0.85) a kilo.
In his letter, Dupont said: “French producers still have good-quality fruit in volumes that are enough to satisfy the needs of French consumers. On top of this, the Brazilian government, via its plant-health surveillance agency Anvisa, has recently published alarming figures concerning pesticide residue levels in fruit and vegetables grown on Brazilian soil. At the same time, French apple production techniques follow extremely strict protocols.
“How can Leclerc stores, which put the wellbeing and protection of consumers, as well as the ‘talent of the regions’ at the forefront, import these products?”
