Earlier this month, French farmers took part in widespread protests, rallying against a host of issues they say will further undermine their ability to earn a living, including Europe’s trade policy, economic challenges and a new set of proposed environmental regulations. expressed his anger. . Protesting farmers drove tractors on highways, blocking roads and disrupting traffic, and destroyed boxes of imported tomatoes, cabbage and cauliflower.
France is also involved in a very specific tomato-based dispute with Spain, but it was not the farmers who started this debate. The serious disagreement began when Ségolène Royal, France’s former environment minister and former presidential candidate, criticized Spanish tomatoes during a television interview.
“Have you ever eaten so-called Spanish organic tomatoes? They’re inedible,” she said, adding, “Spanish organic is fake organic.” She also said that the vegetables and fruits that France imports from Spain “do not meet French standards and should not be imported.” [supermarket] shelf. ”
Spain, the world’s sixth-largest tomato producer, did not take Royal’s words lightly. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said: “I don’t think Madame Royale was lucky enough to taste Spanish tomatoes.” “I encourage her to come to Spain and try one of her Spanish tomato varieties. Then she will see that Spanish tomatoes are unbeatable.”
Sánchez also said Spain must follow the same regulations regarding organic produce that France and other European countries must follow.
The Spanish Association of Organic Sector Experts (Ecobria) issued a statement criticizing Royal’s “baseless declaration” before filing a formal complaint against Royal with the European Commission. Spain’s Minister for Environmental Transition called Royal’s comments “inappropriate”, and one Spanish farmer simply said: “That woman has a taste problem.”
According to The Local, in recent years Morocco has effectively overtaken Spain as the European Union’s biggest tomato supplier, with France the main importer of Moroccan tomatoes. Oh, and if no one tells Ségolène Royal, international relations may become even more chaotic.