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French farmer gets just $11,700 compensation in Bayer weedkiller case, expresses displeasure

French farmer gets just $11,700 compensation in Bayer weedkiller case, expresses displeasure

Bayer

Ending a 15-year legal battle, a French court on Thursday (Dec 08) ordered Germany's crop chemical and pharmaceutical company Bayers to pay 11,135 euros ($11,700) to a farmer who inhaled fumes from a weedkiller.

However, the farmer and his supporting campaigners showed disappointment over the amount, saying that the money paid in compensationis very low in comparison to the side effects, Reuters reported.

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Farmer Paul Francois said, "11,000 euros ($11,700) for so much sacrifice." He argued that the inhalation of weedkiller Lasso in 2004 caused him neurological problems such as headaches and memory loss.

A group of anti-pesticide associations said, "This type of ruling could discourage pesticide victims from claiming the responsibility of multinational firms."

Lawyers for both sides said that the court decided the amount for itto cover the temporary deficit and sufferings of the farmers considering the accident's post-traumatic stress.

As per media reports, Bayers is paying only one per cent of the compensation that Francois demanded. The farmerdemanded one million euros for the damages.

The company said that as of now the court has also not yet identified any serious medical conditions.

Bayeris currently facing thousands of similar cases in the United States over his other weedkiller Roundup.Farmers have argued that chemicals present in Roundup cause cancer and other diseases.

(With inputs from agencies)

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