From 8 February, the French government will suspend the importation of any food products from non-EU countries containing residues of any plant protection product (PPP) which is not approved in the European Union.
The move, which could affect billions of Euros worth of imports, has widely been seen by a concession to French farmers who, along with their colleagues in other European countries, have protested about a new trade deal signed between the EU and the four South American countries in the Mercosur bloc (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay).
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced the measures on 7 January, described them as “a first step to protect our supply chains and our consumers and to fight against unfair competition, a real issue of justice and fairness for our farmers.” It is expected that products such as mangoes, avocados, guavas, grapes, citrus and apples from key countries such as South Africa will immediately be banned due to the measures.
Food industry technical expert Ian Finlayson explained, “Affected substances include carbendazim (and benomyl), glufosinate, mancozeb and thiophanate-methyl… The legislation targets specific crops for each of the pesticides. For retailers and suppliers, this isn’t just a ‘French issue’ – it’s a signal of increasing national-level enforcement that can disrupt entire EU supply chains overnight.”
The French Chamber of Fruits and Vegetables Importers (CSIF) estimates that the decree directly affects 56 percent (in volume) of fresh fruit and vegetables imported from third countries, representing around 20 percent of the total fresh fruit and vegetable consumption in France. Impact on other commodities such as grains and soybeans is still to be assessed.
An early analysis by the US Department of Agriculture found the decree ‘has the potential to negatively impact the export to France of $130 million of U.S. soybeans, fruits, and vegetables, as four of the five pesticides targeted by France can be legally used in the United States.’
