In one year I had to part with 50 animals.
Under the pale rays of the large surface of Lunesse, Yohan Guedon cannot hide his annoyed expression. This farmer from southern Charente, at the head of a farm with 200 sows, reviews the refrigerated barn of cellophane-wrapped pigs: “At 1.69 euros per kilo, I don’t even understand how the intermediaries in the supply chain can get paid. » The farmer is formal, “You have to add an extra 25 cents if you want to get in the nails.” Precisely, for this farmer from Édon, daily life is increasingly difficult. “The cost of raw materials has exploded, between 20 and 25%, not to mention the price of energy and transport. In one year, I’ve had to part ways with 50 animals, raise $200,000 in cash, and eventually, I may have to consider parting ways with an employee if I can’t find a way to lower my expenses. »
Adopted on 18 October by Parliament, the Egalim 2 project should in any case make it possible to set to music the new law aimed at “protect farmers’ earnings”. In particular by generalizing written contracts between the latter and the companies that will transform their products, over a minimum of three years, taking into account production costs, from January to February 2022. The price is then fixed by the parties in compliance “a minimum limit and an upper limit” : These values cannot be moved.
Except that the negotiations are dragging on nationwide and now the Leclerc group is waving its wand under the noses of its customers. “A baguette at 29 cents is intolerablebelieves Jean-Bernard Sallat. Not to mention the liter of milk at 60 cents. A promotion that lasts until the end of February, especially in Angoulême, right in the negotiation period. » Too much provocation for the local group FNSEA.
“The baguette, I’ll buy it”
On Leclerc’s side, the management plays the game of visiting their departments, especially since the famous trophy could very well have been in the hands of the managers of Carrefour de Soyaux, Auchan de La Couronne or Géant de Champniers, whose prices have dropped they are similarly blocked by local ranchers. Faced with the small demonstration, Simon Ricaud struggles to find the words. “We promise to escalate the problemassures the director. I understand the anguish expressed, especially since my parents are farmers in Brittany. »
The word is therefore like a drop too many with the FNSEA: “Soon, no one will be able to tell that their parents were farmers if supermarkets continue to offer on-call prices that don’t match the work done every day in the department’s countryside. » We should still ask consumers the question: “At 29 cents a baguette, it’s not good but I’ll buy it, given the state of the wallet”, confesses Guillaume, a spectator in the background, between two supermarket shelves.
