The main farmers’ union of France called for protesters to continue a blockade of refineries and fuel depots, after the government failed to address their concerns about the use of palm oil imports at local biofuel plants.
“We have worked a lot but we did not get enough. We are disappointed given farmers’ involvement,” Christiane Lambert, head of the FNSEA union, which organised the protests, said after meeting with Agriculture Minister Stéphane Travert.
A major oil and gas distributor said that 3.5 percent of its petrol stations in France had run out of fuel after two days of blockade-disrupted distribution.
The protests were caused by the French government decision to allow Total to use palm oil imports at a biofuel plant, which would compete with biodiesel made from locally produced oilseed crops.