The food industry urges solutions to the blockage of the Bielsa and Somport border crossings

The Association of Food Industries of Aragon wants to show its “great concern ” about the operational and economic damages that are being caused by the closure of the border crossings of Bielsa and Somport, following the damage caused by the storms this weekend to the main communications infrastructures.

Every day, more than 400 trucks cross the Pyrenees to supply raw materials to the main agri-food companies in Aragon, especially those involved in the processing of cereals for human and animal consumption ( feed, starch, flour, semolina, etc.). The connection with France through these border crossings is essential for the competitiveness of companies in the sector, given that Aragon is far from the main seaports.

The sector is very concerned about the news from the French authorities that the deadlines for restoring normality on the other side of the border are at least six months. They say that this is an “ unacceptable ” deadline for companies in the sector, and for this reason, they will ask the Government of Aragon to mediate with the Central Government to speed up the reopening of these crossings as much as possible.

Agri-food companies are channelling their transport of raw materials through the Irún and La Junquera passes, as well as through Navarra. However, the economic costs of a situation like this for several months will seriously harm the economy of companies in the sector.

In his opinion, given this situation, with all the truck connections with France from Aragon cut off, it demonstrates the “urgent need ” to improve the connection with France, both by road and rail, and the need to have the Canfranc reopened in the short term and the Central Pyrenees Crossing in the medium term.