"Anti-hail cannons"
Mexican farmers attack VW
According to their own information, Volkswagen has incurred damages amounting to 17.6 million euros due to hailstorms on the parking spaces for new cars. That is why sound cannons were put into operation in May, to disperse rain clouds, thus preventing hailstorms over the factory. However, with this endeavour, the company incurred the wrath of local farmers, who claim that the blasts keep the rain away - which in turn leads to drastic decreases in yields. According to the farmers, 2000 hectares of corn and beans have simply dried up this summer. In June, there were already protests from farmers at the gates of the VW plant.
"The company protects its cars, but around 100,000 inhabitants of the surrounding area suffer the consequences," said Francisco Tlaxca Pérez, farmers' representative. "Now everything is dry, all harvests have been lost and there is no hope." Farmers in the region are demanding compensation of 70 million pesos (3.2 million euros).
The company rejects the allegations, as the sound waves just convert the hail into rain and no further chemical substances are used. Furthermore, Volkswagen de México refers to the existing approval of the relevant authorities, including the National Water Commission CONAGUA.
Nevertheless, the use of the cannons was suspended for a while in June, to find a joint solution with the farmers and authorities. Now the guns are active again and the company has offered compensation of 150,000 pesos (7,000 euros) per hectare affected. However, this offer was not confirmed by the company.
The effectiveness of the sound cannons is controversial, and a causal connection between the use and lack of precipitation is difficult to prove scientifically as well.
The plant in Puebla is the largest non-European Volkswagen plant and employs 15,500 people. This makes Volkswagen one of the largest employers in the region.
Source: Handelsblatt