French farmers set to march to Paris, declare open 'siege' on capital
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The French premiere is making a trip on Sunday to a cattle farm in hopes to calm down angry farmers.
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French farmers drive their tractors to disrupt traffic on the A71 highway to protest taxation and declining income, Levet near Bourges, France, January 2024. (AFP)
As French farming unions prepare to march to Paris and "siege" the French capital over financial and legislative demands, the country's Prime Minister Gabriel Attal is scheduled to visit a cattle farm on Sunday, Le Monde reported.
The chiefs of the two largest agricultural unions said members "will begin an indefinite siege of the capital."
"All the major roads leading to the capital will be occupied by farmers," they added.
Read more: French farmers attack, destroy two Romanian meat trucks
Lot-et-Garonne region farmers in southern France declared intentions to "go to Paris" on Monday and blockade the huge Rungis wholesale food market, as all protestors are accusing wholesale buyers of tightening purchase prices from the producers and reselling goods for a significant markup.
Among their demands are increased pay, adjusted taxation, and improved regulations - including environmental laws that have impacted their businesses.
Diesel subsidies removal sparks protests
The current crisis broke out after the government started cutting subsidies on diesel used for farm equipment.
The #French people continue to struggle with a trembling #economy as #Paris feels the repercussions of the sanctions of the West, it included, on #Russia over the war in #Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/9otHtuV74n
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) August 18, 2023
The Prime Minister, who earlier on Friday announced several concessions following the outrage and farmers' blocking of major roads into the capital, said, "You wanted to send a message, and I've received it loud and clear."
Attal also said the government would "put an end" to rising diesel costs and allocate an "emergency fund" to help cattle farmers battling livestock illnesses.
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The French National Federation of Agricultural Holders' Unions (FNSEA) reported that over 41,000 tractors were part of the large-scale demonstrations that took place throughout the country.
More than 70,000 French farmers mobilized en masse in protests on Saturday, expressing their dissatisfaction with the government's agricultural policies, BFMTV reported.
Trade agreements between the European Union and food exporters were also at the center of the farmers' outcry.
The French government must "set a course for French agriculture," Francois Ruffin, an MP with the La France Insoumise (LFI) party.
"We need to tell it what it should be doing: is its aim to compete with factory farms in Brazil or Ukraine, or is its aim to feed the French properly?"
