Trade between France and the UK has returned to normal after French agricultural strikes led to train and road blockades and some orders being delayed.
A spokesperson for the Saint Charles wholesale market in Perpignan confirmed that any disruption from the protests has ceased, as strikes were organised to take place over one day (5 November).
“In Perpignan, there was no impact for the business, only a small fire at one roundabout near the market. Our market imports mainly from Spain and Morocco so we expected to have something happening, but really there was only a traffic jam for up to one hour and a half,” the spokesperson said.
They added that the disruption did not warrant complaints as it was announced in advance.
“Everybody knows that this was a pretty bad year for the revenue of farmers, either in France or elsewhere in Europe. And some demonstrations were more or less expected,' the spokesperson added.
Farming unions, growers and farmers protested across France against cheaper, imported produce, and collapses in price that have been driven by the Russian imports ban, among other issues.
While much of the action took place outside local authority buildings, there were reports of farmers setting fire to vegetable pallets and tyres in order to blockade key transport routes.
A train blockade between Carcassonne and Narbonne in the south west of France meant that produce destined for the UK via Paris wholesale market Rungis and coming from Morocco was delayed.
Eddie Bowers, sales director at Burbank Produce, one of the UK wholesalers that was affected, confirmed that trade had resumed as normal this morning.
