Strikes halt output at two Saipol biodiesel plants in France

PARIS: Output at two biodiesel plants of French oilseed processor Saipol, including its largest one in Grand-Couronne near the port of Rouen, has been halted since Feb. 1 due to protest over wages, a spokesman for parent group Avril said on Tuesday.

The protests led the company to cut its purchases of oilseeds, brokers said.

Saipol crushes oilseeds, mainly rapeseed, to produce biodiesel, vegetable oil and animal feed.

There have been protests at two other units but these did not last, Avril spokesman Tom Doron told Reuters.

Saipol crushes 3.5 million tonnes of oilseeds per year and produces 1.3 million tonnes of biodiesel and 1.8 million tonnes of meal used in feed, he said.