At the WUWM meeting in Nice there was an expected speaker: Jean-Michel Lemetayer, president of the all-powerful, kingmaker French farmers union.

He was expected because he was listed in the programme, but he surprised us all with his main topic: the relationship between wholesale markets and retail. Lemetayer recognised it was not an easy task for him and he gave the audience a real political tirade on the necessity of a common fight for quality.

Good news for me at least. The exchange with the audience was possibly boring for those not aware of, or not caring for, the French situation, but for me it broke some new ground in the more than tense relations between producers and wholesalers in France.

Sharply questioned by Alain Turion of the Nice wholesalers’ union, Lemetayer had to struggle to find answers on sensitive topics such as:

• Fruit that does not live up to quality standards - it should not find a buyer.

• Price as a way to readjust supply - Lemetayer longs for the withdrawal of some European fruit.

• Price controls - official restrictive tools should remain the exception.

A question from an Italian market officer, on producers selling more directly to consumers, raised an interesting exchange with French wholesalers’ union leader Bernard Piton. Lemetayer agreed this was a growing trend, especially for vegetables, and called for work on building a truly united industry that excluded individual strategy.

Refresh my memory: wasn’t it the French vegetable producers (part of Lemetayer’s union) who finally pushed retailers and wholesalers to leave the industry table?