An extraordinary civil case against animal food manufacturers PROVIMI has finally reached court in Évora today. Lodged by horse breeding farm Coudelaria Anão of Redondo, in the Alentejo, it centres on what it claims was “toxic feed which has destroyed the work of three generations”.
For now, details are scarce. The lawyer representing Coudelaria Anão has simply posted on Facebook that “because this is a strange country with a strange independence of (the nation’s) press, PROVIMI has dissuaded any publication of this strange event”.
The Resident has been in touch with Coudelaria Anão whose representative João Anão told us he accepted “anything” that the lawyer wants to say on this issue.
Lawyer José Preto – the same man who is defending the so-called Portuguese spy caught purportedly red-handed selling NATO secrets to the Russians last month – has said he will gladly give us details, but is this morning busy in court in Évora.
Posting news of the hearing on Facebook, he suggests it has been a long time coming – and explains that the case rests on the work of more than 60 years – but that “to poison a bloodline or herd of cattle under (Portuguese) Penal Law is akin to kicking a dead cat…”
He ended his post saying: “It really is more prudent to live and work under the protection of other countries.”
The Resident will be updating this ‘strange story’ from the rural Alentejo, as soon as we have more details.
Meantime, a call to PROVIMI – sold over a year ago to the Cargill Animal Nutrition platform of companies – elicited the response that Coudelaria Anão was “possibly not a direct client” of the company.
“It may be a company that was supplied by one of our sales outlets,” said a source. “I will try and find more information.”
Our call was returned to the switchboard where the operator said she knew who we were meant to talk to and would put us straight through.
A minute later, we were then told the department was busy, and to please get back in touch on Monday, “or send an email”.
Cargill Animal Nutrition has a workforce of 17,000 and is present in 37 countries of the world, says its website.
PROVIMI, which still has a site online, says it has more than 50 years experience in the animal nutrition market in Portugal.
