Cattle dealers block French roads

The peripherique was among the main roads blocked

French cattle dealers and abattoir workers blocked roads into Paris on Monday in protest at losses they face because of the BSE crisis.

Tests are supposed to be carried out but... nothing has been set up, nothing, and our cattle are stuck in the farms

Cattle dealer

They later lifted the blockade, saying they did not want motorists to be "held hostage", but threatened a much firmer protest if the government did not offer compensation.

At the height of the rush hour, police reported 150km (90 miles) of traffic jams on autoroutes including the A1 and A13.

The peripherique encircling Paris was at a standstill in places and disruption was also reported near Bordeaux, Rennes, and the A6 north of Lyons.

Abattoir closure threat

The protesters say they have lost business as a result of plummeting sales of beef since reports in October that potentially BSE-contaminated meat had been sold in supermarkets.

Chef Alain Passard has removed all meat from the L'Arpege restaurant

Among other forms of compensation, they want relief on social charges and exemption from a law making mandatory a reduced 35-hour working week.

A spokesman for the National Federation of Meat Wholesalers, Nicolas Douzain, also warned that protesters would force the closure of all the country's slaughterhouses next week.

One protester told the France Info radio station that cattle dealers had lost work, because BSE tests were not being carried out.

"What is happening to us is that the veterinary services are doing absolutely nothing," he said.

"Tests are supposed to be carried out but there is no equipment, there is nothing, nothing has been set up, nothing, and our cattle are stuck in the farms."

Irish destruction scheme

In Ireland the government began on Monday buying untested cows over 30 months old from farmers.

From now on, in accordance with rules laid down by the EU Council of Ministers last month, cattle of this age can be sold for consumption only if they have tested negative for BSE.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Agriculture, Paul Savage, said that under normal conditions up to 700,000 animals would be sold on Irish markets over the next six months.

He said it was unclear how many of these would be sold under the purchase-for-destruction scheme.

The cost to the government is estimated at 200 to 250 punts per cow ($240-300).