The dispute between the French competition authorities and 18 chicory organisations, who were charged for price cartel on the 6th of March, will not be decided until February 2013 at the court of justice in Paris.
For eleven producer organisations the fine is 3.6 million Euro and for seven organisations and unions - among which the national federation of chicory growers and the associations of producer organisations Celnord and Cérafel - the amount is 320,000 Euro.
For eleven producer organisations the fine is 3.6 million Euro and for seven organisations and unions - among which the national federation of chicory growers and the associations of producer organisations Celnord and Cérafel - the amount is 320,000 Euro.
The president of the French chicory union, Daniel Bouquillon, indicates that the situation is very bad for the chicory sector. "There's not a day goes by that there's not one producer telling me he's locking up". Chickory is the fourth most consumed vegetable in France, after the tomato, melon and lettuce. In 2010/2011 France exported 16.200 tonnes and imported 5.000 tonnes.