French Farmers Protest Against Total

摘要

Farmers are blocking refineries and fuel depots across France to protest against Total’s plans to import palm oil — instead of using local canola oil — for its new biorefinery at La Mede, near Marseilles. The facility, which is being converted away from refining crude oil, is expected to restart next month and use up to 650,000 tons of feedstock for making 500,000 tons of biodiesel per year (10,800 b/d). It has been licensed to import up to 300,000 tons/yr of palm oil from Southeast Asia, which farmers’ unions say could cause France to 'lose 400,000 hectares out of 1.5 million hectares' currently being cultivated for canola.