Truckloads of fresh produce destined for the UK were stranded on the continent this week, as fishing crews from Calais, Dunkirk, Dieppe, Boulogne and Cherbourg blockaded ports and fuel depots in protest at fuel prices and fishing quotas.

An offer of fuel aid from the French government convinced some fishermen to return to work at the weekend after more than a week of strikes, but blockades were re-initiated on Monday.

Dozens of British sailors and holidaymakers were stuck on the continent as a result, along with thousands of lorries - many handling fresh produce.

Peter Davis of importer-exporter Davis (Louth) Ltd told FPJ on Tuesday: “It’s a real mess at the moment.

“We are hearing reports coming through that Cherbourg/Calais and Dunkirk are blocked.

“We have lorries from Italy and France that were caught last week for three days, and then again today the strike is on and they are saying that they will stay there until they get what they want. At the moment, for example, there are 1,800 lorries waiting across the Channel, and the strike is set to continue.”

As FPJ went to press, Davis said: “I was talking to the French police in Calais this afternoon, and they told me that the transporters are planning to do a go-slow on all the French motorways, and bring them to a halt on Wednesday and Thursday.”

The strike is having a serious impact on the fresh produce supply chain into the UK.

“Talking with other importers, there are apples, potatoes and carrots all over there waiting to come over,” said Davis. “We have had to cancel some export orders of cauliflowers going out to Hungary and Austria, because we cannot get the lorries back over here to load them.”

Shortages include new-crop carrots, potatoes, pears, courgettes and broccoli, from Spain, Italy and France. “We have peaches and nectarines that were loaded on Friday, and they tell me they might get over on Thursday [yesterday],” revealed Davis.

The Port of Dover was forced to close last week as a result of the French action. Operation Stack, which sees lorries kept outside Dover when there are shipping delays, was implemented fairly quickly in the Kent port town last week.

Brian Madderson of Dover stevedoring firm George Hammond told FPJ: “Shipments were delayed last week, and even the trucks that were able to get through on the shuttle under the Channel were delayed because of Operation Stack.

“However, there was no impact on George Hammond’s customers - it was the trucks that come over on the ferry that were affected.”

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