The French fruit and vegetable industry has been shocked by the sudden and unexpected resignation of Interfel president, Denis Onffroy. His decision to step down is hopefully the end of a story that has increasingly transformed into a second-grade industry soap opera.

Like the Dirty Den fiasco in Eastenders, this particular plot-line has run for too long. The last 12 months have seen producers and wholesalers continually fighting it out over the negotiation table, witnessed two historical arch rival families - greengrocers and retailers - finally find some common ground (for now), and seen the progression of the fresh produce industry predictably blocked by impasse at board meeting after board meeting.

So we reach this stage; the industry finally has its pound of flesh: the presidential seat of the industry’s leading trade association is empty. But much worse, and isn’t this so often the case, there is no accession policy in place. After such a lot of mud slinging, who would want to put themselves in Onffroy’s position anyway.

The entire situation revolves around one basic problem, which is the competitive - or perhaps that should be anti-competitive - nature of the industry, particularly upstream. One salient question must be asked. Is it the role of Interfel to rule and manage every aspect of the fresh produce sector in France?

Certainly, wholesalers’ president Bernard Piton recently said it isn’t. Its role, he argues, is not to manage the primary marketing of produce in France, this being the role of the producer. The industry could help by pinpointing the parts of the chain where a joint strategy can be engaged upon.

Similarly, is it necessarily the job of Interfel to singularly define how fruit and vegetables could be ‘sexier’ to the consumer eye? This responsibility lies downstream - it is surely the domain of the retailer, wholesaler and caterer. Interfel, of course, is in an excellent position to assist all of the measures put in place to boost consumption. But should it be the prime mover? Piton is not alone in thinking not.

Interfel has various other roles, including the harmonisation of quality standards and the negotiations of product agreements.

Thank goodness that now everyone appears to be ready to get back round the table and start looking for a solution to the crisis. Of course, in any script, fiction or otherwise, friction between the main characters and political games between the supporting cast will remain. In this case, the arguments partly surround who should take the lead role.

It might not be Eastenders, but there’s no doubt the French act out this type of drama extremely well.