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SIAL Food Fair Visitors Suffer From French Strikes And Blockades ff

19 October 2010 France

By Atuna.com

Visitors driving to SIAL, Europe’s second largest food trade Fair, which is currently being held in Paris, has been affected by the strikes on fuel sectors in France against reforms proposed to change the country’s retirement age from 60 to 62 years old.

However, the SIAL this year is once again bringing tuna professionals together at major stands such as that of Thai Union, Sea Value, Bolton and other canned, fresh and frozen tuna companies.

According to the French press, public transportation is still working at a constant basis although over a thousand gas stations are reported to be out of stock this morning.

Currently only one out of 3 flights to Paris seems to have been cancelled. Also due to a strike by Belgium railway employees, the high speed trains Thalys and TGV traveling through Belgium are not running.

In face of that situation, SIAL has strengthened the transportation to and from the Exhibition Center with shuttles between airport and train stations. The SIAL is about 30 minutes from Paris and 10 minutes from airport Charles de Gaulle, but on Monday many visitors took 2 hours to get to the show from center of Paris.

A representative from SIAL stated that since today is the voting day for such reforms, protests may become stronger and there is no way to predict how that will affect the access to the fair.

Nevertheless, SIAL attendance is far from disappointing so far, even though is it nearly impossible to get a taxi at the moment.