FRENCH entrepreneurs have found themselves in hot water, after allegedly attempting to pass off Spanish stone fruit as French produce.
According to a report filed at France’s fraud office, a number of individuals, and four supermarkets may have turned a blind eye to facilitate the transactions.
The alleged irregularity is not a new issue. When French supply volumes dropped considerably last year, many producers and intermediaries started purchasing directly from marketers in Aragon and Catalonia in order to sell the fruit under French brands.
This season, France has only produced around 260,000 tonnes, while Spanish exports increased by almost 25% compared to the previous campaign.
Catalan producers stated that the number of French entrepreneurs purchasing fruit directly from them at truly attractive prices has notably increased this summer.
