“There is a subject of margin distribution” in the agri-food industry, concedes Marc Fesneau

The Minister of Agriculture promises to sanction “misuse” of the Egalim law. He points to “distributors” and “industrialists”.

“There is a subject of margin distribution”, concedes Marc Fesneau, Minister of Agriculture, guest of franceinfo on Saturday January 27, the day after Prime Minister Gabriel Attal’s announcements to appease the anger of the agricultural world. Marc Fesneau thus threatens businesses “who do not respect the law and may incur a fine of up to 2% on their turnover”.

One of the persistent problems in the question of farmers’ remuneration is, according to the minister, “the subject of margin distribution” with the question of “which retrieves the value” agricultural products, while farmers’ prices fell by 9% and shelf prices increased by 10%. According to the minister, “it’s sometimes manufacturers and sometimes mass distribution”, so he wants “controls”. Marc Fesneau promises that “those who do not play the game will be sanctioned, and we will look precisely at where the added value is distributed.”

Michel-Edouard Leclerc in the minister’s viewfinder

The government wants in particular to sanction “diversion practices” like that which consists of not holding “account for agricultural raw materials, those who do not respect the Egalim law: they can incur a fine of up to 2% on their turnover”.

Marc Fesneau then points the finger “a second way to subvert controls”, when opening “purchasing centers elsewhere in Europe to try to deviate from French law. This is not acceptable.” In the minister’s sights, there is notably Michel-Edouard Leclerc, the president of the strategic committee of the centers E.Leclerc : “Big declarations are enough”insists Marc Fesneau.

“When I hear someone say: ‘If I can’t find the products at the price I want, I will look for them elsewhere’, I consider that they are not acting on French food sovereignty and this is not the case. “is not an act of agricultural patriotism.”

Marc Fesneau

at franceinfo

He recalls in particular the declarations of “Mr Leclerc” who is “the only one who asked to repeal the Egalim law, saying at the time: ‘We are the only country to do that [la loi Egalim], it’s a pure scandal.’ But I don’t know many sectors that say that Egalim must be repealed.”

The minister, however, rejects the idea of ​​a floor price for food materials, defended in particular by La France insoumise: “It’s not that simple” because, according to him, “If I put a kilo of tomatoes at 10 euros in France to pay the farmers and we have, on arrival, tomatoes at 3 euros, what do you think will happen? We need the prices rise, including at the national level”, he defends.