PARIS: Dozens of French farmers blocked access to 13 refineries across the country on Monday to protest plans to import palm oil for use in biofuels, a move they denounce as unfair competition which jeopardises their livelihood.
Energy giant Total wants to import up to 300,000 tons a year of palm oil, which environmental advocates say has caused massive deforestation chiefly in south east Asia. French rapeseed and sunflower growers, who say they will lose out due to Total´s imports, accuse foreign palm oil producers of failing to respect the regulatory requirements European producers must follow. Farmers parked tractors in front of refinery gates while dumping piles of haystacks, dirt, manure and potatoes.