Posted on 02/08/2024 3:05:48 PM PST by nickcarraway
Things got messy pretty quickly.
Earlier this month, farmers in France participated in widespread protests to express their collective anger over a number of issues, including European trade policies, economic challenges, and a set of newly proposed environmental regulations that they say would further damage their ability to earn a living. In addition to blocking roadways and snarling traffic by driving their tractors on highways, the protesting farmers also destroyed crates of imported tomatoes, cabbages, and cauliflower.
France is also involved in a very specific tomato-based argument with Spain, and the farmers aren’t the ones who kicked this one off. This juicy disagreement started when Ségolène Royal, France’s former Minister of Ecology and a one-time presidential candidate, called out Spanish tomatoes during a TV interview.
The Best Heirloom Tomatoes Are in Virginia
“Have you tasted the so-called organic Spanish tomatoes? They’re inedible,” she said before adding that, “Spanish organic is fake organic.” She also said that the fruits and vegetables that France imports from Spain, “do not meet French standards and should not be on [supermarket] shelves.”
Spain, which is the world’s sixth largest tomato producer, didn’t take Royal’s words lightly. “I think Mrs. Royal has not had the good fortune of tasting the Spanish tomato,” Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said. “I’m inviting her to come to Spain and try any of Spain's tomato varieties, and she will see that the Spanish tomato is unbeatable.”
New York's First Rice Farm Uses West African Farming Traditions Sánchez also said that Spain had to follow the same regulations for organic produce that France and other European countries had to follow.
The Association of Spanish Professionals of the Organic Sector (Ecovlia) released a statement criticizing Royal's “unfounded declarations” before filing an official complaint against Royal with the European Commission. Spain’s Minister of Ecological Transition called Royal’s comments “inappropriate,” while one Spanish farmer simply said, “That lady has a palate problem.”
According to The Local, in recent years, Morocco has actually overtaken Spain as the European Union’s top tomato supplier, and France is the main importer of Moroccan tomatoes. Whew, nobody tell Ségolène Royal or international relations might get even messier.
Quick, get President Mitterand on the ouija board to discuss this crisis.
You gotta love the French! They are always right.
I like french fries.
Biden is calling Generalissimo Franco as we speak.
New York’s First Rice Farm Uses West African Farming Traditions
Spanish tomatos are just fine.
French farmers have been complaining about food imports since, oh, maybe 1946. Part of the reason for the EU, not too often mentioned these days, has been to satisfy French farmers and accomodate French agricultural policy. Hence there is a complex system of price supports and quotas.
A significant difference in agricultural structure between France and Spain is France has a vast number of small farms, and their ag policy is meant to keep them viable. Spain has much more of US style corporate farming. Hence there are vast areas in Spain, mainly in the south, covered with plastic greenhouses, to supply off-season tomatos, among other things.
I’ve never liked super market tomatoes. They are picked unripe, gassed red, bread to look good and survive long transportation.
France does it right.
Only two things money can’t buy
That’s true love and homegrown tomatoes
JDenver
Just wait until Klaus sends his bugs ,LOL
(Food Fight! A French Politico Calls Spain’s Tomatoes ‘Inedible’)
Is this from Rotten Tomatoes 🍅🍅🍅?
Nevermind, we’ll ketchup later.
“Biden is calling Generalissimo Franco as we speak.”
LOL!!!
“A French Politico Calls Spain’s Tomatoes ‘Inedible’”
just wait until he tries to eat ones from safeway or kroger ...
“I’ve never liked super market tomatoes. They are picked unripe, gassed red, bread to look good and survive long transportation.”
Mama used to grow Big Boy tomatoes in our garden in Tennessee back in the 60s. I’ve never had any tomatoes so delicious since.
“I’m inviting her to come to Spain and try any of Spain’s tomato varieties, and she will see that the Spanish tomato is unbeatable.”
That the tomatoes in Spain are delicious does not mean that the tomatoes that are arriving in France aren’t rubbish.
Nothing like a fresh tomato grown in your own garden picked ripe from the vine. Ambrosia!!
American Heirlooms are the best! This is one of them.
Rare Seeds Thorburn's Terra Cotta
Semi determinate, grows about 5-6 feet tall. Beautiful delicious fruit.
https://www.fondazioneslowfood.com/en/ark-of-taste-slow-food/thorburns-terracotta-tomato/
The way that is done is via price supports, subsidies.
Not... the cabbages! Alert the French Legume!
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