2023-04-20 04:02:47
The professional federation of French vegetable producers denounces the application of “abusive” margins by distributors, particularly on tomatoes and cucumbers.
Are supermarkets overselling French vegetables? French producers, through the voice of the professional federation Légumes de France, denounce “excessive margins” practiced by large retailers. “An attitude that reflects the lack of consideration of these brands for their commitments to food sovereignty, which are nevertheless declaimed at length in advertisements”, regrets the association in a press release.
According to the professional federation, which relies on figures from the national agricultural office FranceAgriMer, the gross margin on cluster tomatoes of French origin climbed to 1.82 euros during the last week of March, i.e. 84% of margin rate once morest 28% on average over the last three years. In the second week of April, the gross margin reached 1.64 euros, representing a margin rate of 73% once morest an average of 55% over the last three years.
Distributors “display a double discourse”, between defense of French agriculture on the one hand and high margins on their productions on the other side, confirms Jean-Pierre La Noë, cucumber producer in the Loiret and also president of the Association of French producers (AOPn) of tomatoes and cucumbers.
Imported vegetables
Because, in addition to tomatoes, there are also cucumbers. According to Légumes de France, the margin rate climbed to 90% during the last week of March, once morest 66% on average over the last three years. In the second week of April, the margin rate on cucumbers reached 76%, once morest an average of 61% over the last three years. A situation is also similar for strawberries, generally grouped with vegetables because they are close to market gardening.
These high margins “block the consumption of French products” in favor of vegetables imported from abroad, regrets Jean-Pierre La Noë, assuring that the prices offered in supermarkets “are not linked to the cost of production” but to the margins practiced by distributors. Spain, Morocco and the Netherlands sell their products at very low prices. “We need large retailers, but they have to play the game,” says the cucumber producer.
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