January 30, 2024

 

Unhappy agricultural unions in France announced siege in Paris

 

 

Agricultural unions in France have announced on January 27 that they would launch a siege in Paris, prompting the office of French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal to announce that the minister will visit a cattle farm. 

 

The leaders of two of France's largest farming unions said that members from the regions around Paris "will begin an indefinite siege of the capital" to pressure the government into meeting their demands on pay, tax and regulations.

 

"All the major roads leading to the capital will be occupied by farmers," they added.

 

Farmers from the Lot-et-Garonne region, one of the hotspots of the protest movement in southern France, had already announced their intention to "go to Paris" on January 29.

 

They intend to blockade the massive Rungis wholesale food market south of the capital.

 

French farmers are furious at what they say is a squeeze on purchase prices for produce by supermarket and industrial buyers, as well as complex environmental regulations. But the last straw for many was the phasing-out of a tax break on diesel for farm equipment.

 

Attal's visit to a cattle farm in the western region of Indre-et-Loire came two days after he announced a number of concessions following blockades by farmers of major routes into Paris and in the south of France. He added that the government would "put an end" to the rising cost of diesel fuel used for farming machinery, a consequence of tax breaks on the fuel having been phased out.

 

There would also be an emergency fund to help cattle farmers battle illnesses among their livestock.

 

However, farmers appeared to be divided over whether Attal's concessions were enough.

 

Furthermore, the French government has been trying to keep discontent among farmers from spreading just months ahead of European Parliament elections.

- AFP