Spain: fruit and vegetable wholesalers who violate the Act’s food chain

Fruit and vegetables accounts for almost 80% of the sanctions imposed by the US Information Agency and Food Control Act for violating the food chain. Wholesalers are the link in the chain that brings together almost 70% of the sanctions, according to the latest report of the AICA. The Union of Small Farmers and Ranchers has welcomed the work of this agency but it calls for increased vigilance and to publish the names of offending companies.

The Union of Small Farmers and Ranchers (UPA) group has criticized the wholesale fruit and vegetable treasure the “dubious honor” of being the most violate the Law of the food chain. According to the latest report of the AICA agency under the Ministry of Agriculture, this group accounts for more than half of the sanctions, which should force them to “deep reflection” and change their attitude “immediately”, according to farmers.

In most cases, the sanctions imposed by AICA are violating the payment terms to suppliers (43% of the sanctions) and to ignore the government agency in their reporting requirements (39% of cases) . UPA has recalled that fruits and vegetables pay on time is illegal since 2010, years before the adoption of the Law of the chain, and is a practice which seriously harms the producers.

UPA has encouraged farmers to demand their rights, as “charge time” or have a contract that “clearly specify quantities and prices.” Also it calls on the sector to “expose more” and be aware that “you have to change a few vices in place for a long time.” As a result the sale, in which intermediaries bear the fruit without the farmer knows how or when it will charge for their work.

The organization congratulated for their work AICA control and surveillance and expressed his satisfaction for “having a partner who cares to enforce the law.” In any case you have been asked to intensify the inspection and to make public the names of companies that violate the law.

The Autonomous Communities should investigate the sale to losses

“The big problem is that the sale to losses is investigated by the AICA, but are autonomous regions which must pursue”, they recalled from UPA. However, most regions ignores this practice and does not exercise its competence, incurring a “legal anomaly” that seriously harms farmers and ranchers. Of the 91 complaints filed with AICA, 33 of them denouncing sales losses, and have been dismissed, which in the opinion of UPA highlights “the great lack of chain Act unable to sanction this practice.”

Source: UPA