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France Moves to Suspend Food Imports With EU-Banned Pesticide Residues as Farm Talks Begin

The decree is due Tuesday pending European Commission sign-off expected within roughly ten days.

Overview

  • Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard said imports containing residues of mancozeb, glufosinate, thiophanate-methyl or carbendazim will be halted, covering items such as avocados, mangoes, citrus, grapes and apples.
  • A specialised inspection brigade will intensify checks at borders and in the domestic market to enforce sanitary and phytosanitary standards.
  • The announcement is positioned as a de-escalation effort as Matignon hosts unions Monday and Tuesday, with Jeunes Agriculteurs and Coordination rurale meeting first, followed by FNSEA and Confédération paysanne.
  • Major unions called the measures insufficient; FNSEA urged a national mobilisation and Coordination rurale warned of possible tractor actions in Paris if discussions fall short.
  • The move aligns with France’s opposition to the EU‑Mercosur agreement and comes as farmers grapple with weak prices, higher fertiliser costs, and a cattle disease outbreak, with vaccination progressing and new cases reported in Ariège.