Roads leading into the French capital were blocked today by cattle dealers in protest at the government's handling of the BSE crisis which has adversely affected beef sales across Europe.
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BSE crisis affecting beef industry across Europe |
Dozens of protesters used lorries and vans to block major roads around Paris causing enormous congestion. Radio station
France Info
reported a traffic jam of some 150 km (90 miles) on one motorway as a result.
Mr Henri Demaegdt, a meat industry representative from Normandy who joined the protests, criticised the French government for failing to provide the cattle industry with sufficient means to test animals for mad cow disease.
Last week France began testing all cattle older than 30 months for the illness in a bid to reassure consumers about the safety of French beef.
"We feel deserted by the government. Our companies are threatened. We ask for meetings and they refuse, and when we do meet them they don't give us answers", Mr Demaegdt said.
The recent food scare was sparked in October when several French supermarkets reported having sold meat potentially tainted with mad cow disease, a disorder that scientists believe can be passed on to humans via infected beef.
Reuters