Although the auction market at Boulogne-surMer is the biggest in France, only 15-20% of the fish landed at the port is put up for sale in the official auction; the bulk of the catch is purchased before the auction starts by processors desperate for supplies.
'Companies need raw material, so they go and buy as soon as the boats arrive, ' says one merchant. He says he attends the auction just to get an idea of the prices being offered, then adds: 'It's not a question of price, just a case of finding the fish.'
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