Farmers don’t want foreign oil

– Dozens of French farmers blocked access to 13 refineries across the country yesterday 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, which environmentalists say has caused massive deforestation chiefly in southeast Asia.

The farmers say they will lose out due to Total’s imports. – AFP