Some 150 supporters of the Confédération Paysanne demonstrated on Friday near Rennes in front of a site of the agri-food giant Avril to denounce free trade and
“co-management”
between the FNSEA and the Ministry of Agriculture.
The demonstrators, who blocked the entrances to the Bruz site (Ille-et-Vilaine) with tractors, had deployed banners on the gates demanding
“A decent income”
or
“Arnaud Keep your glypho / pour out your capital!”
, in reference to Arnaud Rousseau.
The latter being both the president of the FNSEA, the majority agricultural union, and chairman of the board of directors of the agri-food giant Avril (nine billion euros in turnover in 2022).
Read alsoThe Peasant Confederation occupies premises of the Ministry of Agriculture to defend free-range livestock farming
A “conflict of interest” singled out
The action organized on Friday aims to
“show the conflict of interests and clearly show that we cannot defend farmers when we have the ambitions of a multinational to always want to make more money at the expense of farmers”
. declared Charlotte Kerglonou, spokesperson for the Ille-et-Vilaine Peasant Confederation.
"April ! Predator of peasant income!”
, protesters chanted.
“The announcements (from the government) do not satisfy us, we denounce free trade agreements and liberalism around our agricultural production, which Avril symbolizes
,” launched Sébastien Vétil, member of the office of the Ille Peasant Confederation -and-Vilaine.
Founded in 1983, the April group defines itself as
“the industrial and financial player in the vegetable oils and proteins sector”
.
The
“Campus Avril”
located in Bruz, inaugurated in 2018,
“brings together activities in the animal sectors”
and brings together 450 employees, according to the group’s website.