Fabien Roussel, PCF national secretary, on Wednesday called on the state to support potato producers who are drowning in their stocks due to the Covid crisis and the closure of restaurants, during a trip to Nogent-sur -Oise.
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In Hauts-de-France, the leading potato-producing region, " around 150,000 tonnes of potatoes are at risk of being thrown away and rotting in the fields if the government does not quickly give the means to bag them and to send them to charities to distribute them to those who need them most , "said the communist number one, during a visit to a branch of the Secours populaire français.
Bertrand Achte, secretary general of the National Union of Potato Producers, had estimated on May 17 with AFP "200 million euros" losses for the sector. " If we do not want to see the potatoes rot ", the State must put 35 million euros on the table to pay in particular for the transport of unsold goods to the animal sector and anaerobic digestion, "also said Bertrand Achte.
