Farmers in Zwijndrecht and the surrounding area who sell their products via the so-called short chain are already experiencing major economic damage from the PFOS crisis. This is testified by fruit grower Frans Verhelst, who has a large part of his orchards located just 800 meters from the 3M factory site. “Customers just stay away, even though we’re actually selling fruit during this period that we didn’t grow in this region,” he says.
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Verhelst normally sells his products both at his own company, in a wholesaler in Antwerp and through auctions. “But home sales have now stopped, we had to close them,” he says. “The wholesale trade has also come to a complete standstill. Customers err on the side of caution and simply pass us by. The customers I still see say ‘we’ve been eating it for so long now, this won’t make the difference anymore’.”
Verhelst quickly asks for clarity about the new harvest that is coming soon. “Samples will be taken just before the harvest and then we’ll see if we can sell,” he says. “On our own initiative, we have already had two crates from last year analyzed so that we would already know something.”
The fruit grower also hopes for compensation from the government. “We hope that the government will not let us go bankrupt because of someone else’s mistake,” says Verhelst. “Even if nothing is found in the fruit, I still want some sort of compensation. But we hope that it will blow over soon.”
Compensations
The Boerenbond asks the Flemish government to work out a scheme for compensation to agricultural companies that are affected by the PFOS crisis. Boerenbond chairman Sonja De Becker stated this on Wednesday during a visit to a fruit grower from Zwijndrecht, who has already seen his home and wholesale sales come to a standstill. “There is great uncertainty and ambiguity,” says De Becker.
According to the Boerenbond, agricultural companies that sell directly to consumers are already experiencing a direct impact and economic damage from the PFOS crisis. This includes companies that sell farms or short-chain sales, companies that sell to wholesalers and CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) companies such as self-picking farms. “Their clients stay away out of fear and precaution,” says De Becker. “In addition, we see that some dairy farms, for example, have already been advised to switch from groundwater to rainwater, which can mean an enormous additional cost.”
The Boerenbond asks for compensation where necessary, but above all for quick clarity from the federal food agency (FAVV). “We currently have no idea of the extent of the problem and what measures would be needed,” says De Becker. “Fortunately, exports have not yet been hit. We probably owe this to our very efficient food safety system in Belgium. Agricultural products here are subjected to thorough safety screens by the food agency and from quality labels.”
De Becker points out that no food safety problem has been identified so far. “The guidelines for private individuals of the Agency for Care and Health are as a precaution,” she says. “That production also takes place in different circumstances than in professional companies. Products produced here are subject to strict quality controls.”
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