A large-scale fraud on kiwis presented as French

The DGCCRF (Directorate General for Competition and Fraud) has unveiled a fraud on the origin of kiwifruit sold on the French market and falsely presented as originating from domestic production.

 

 

 

According to the DGCCRF, the fraud concerns nearly 5,000 tonnes of kiwis that were sold for French kiwifruit while they came from Italy, each year for 3 years. Italian exporters were falsifying certificates of origin and French importers were selling these kiwis as coming from domestic production.

 

 

 

In total over the last 3 years, for the DGCCRF the volume would reach 15 000 tonnes of kiwifruit. With the price difference between the 2 markets, the illicit profit is estimated at 6 million euros.

 

 

 

The DGCCRF has made over 40 interventions with wholesalers, distributors and kiwifruit conditioners. The organization has verbalized an Italian exporter and will sue several French wholesalers in F & V and import companies for "deception on the origin".