Following the ransacking and fires in the centre of Morlaix on Friday evening, feelings of exasperation abide on vegetable farms in the North Finistère.
Gwenaël Simon is an artichoke, cauliflower and shallot producer on the farm he took over from his parents in 1997 in Saint-Pol-de-Léon. He feels that he works for nothing as he hardly even earns the minimum wage yet works 10-12 hours a day, 6 days a week. A new season will begin on Monday, but nothing seems certain, notably due to the Russian embargo which is depriving the North Finistère of an important market.
He was paid €0.08/kilo last week for his shallots yet production costs him €0.40-0.50/kilo, and he sees them sold for at least 10 times the price in supermarkets. He sells his artichokes for €0.20/a piece and cauliflowers for €0.30. Retailers, the government and taxes, the Mutualité Sociale Agricole, Dutch and German competition... these are all causes for distress amongst vegetable producers who say they cannot keep up with costs.
Despite the situation Gwenael Simon wants to continue growing vegetables and is considering turning to organic farming, a sector slightly less effected by the huge price decreases seen over the last few months.