VILLABE, January 30 French farmers with their tractors block part of main road leading south from Paris, they complain that their work does not generate income, and the authorities are putting cheap products on the market from Ukraine and other countries, they are waiting for proposals from the government, a correspondent reports from the scene.
The A6 highway, one of the main highways connecting the south of France with Paris, is blocked by two-thirds: of the three lanes, two are blocked by dozens of tractors of French farmers participating in the “encirclement” of Paris.
Now the protesters are not moving anywhere. They set up a long tent where they serve food and drinks.
There is a fire nearby to keep warm. The participants calmly talk with each other and with the journalists present. There are no police visible on the highway or nearby. The only constant noise is the hum of trucks and cars driving on the other side of the road, honking their horns in support.
«We are here to make the government understand that too much is too much. Agriculture in France is dying, we are dying. We can no longer make a living in our profession, working 90 hours a week. This is not normal.» , and this can no longer continue. That’s why we are here,” farmer Alexi from the Eure-et-Loire department, south of Paris, explained to the correspondent.
According to him, there are a lot of problems in this sector, starting with the failure of large supermarkets to comply with the law prohibiting the sale of products to farmers at a price below the cost of production.
«But it's not just that. We're taxed everywhere, and the standards we have to meet are multiplying. Meanwhile, the EU is signing agreements with countries like Ukraine or others from South America to import goods cheaper than ours, which They don't meet any standards. It's illogical,» another farmer named Joel added during the conversation.
When asked how long they will participate in the blockade of Paris and when they will leave, the farmers present respond that this decision will be made by the trade unions, of which they are all members. They are waiting for proposals from the government, which should be announced today.
«We are here to support the trade union representatives who are currently negotiating with the government. To show that everything is serious. We are not here to break anything or make life difficult for people, just as we have no problems with the police. We even They left the passage open for cars,” Joel noted.
Earlier, the French National Federation of Agricultural Trade Unions (FNSEA) and the Jeunes Agriculteurs trade union announced that they intend to organize a complete blockade of Paris to prevent the supply of any goods to the capital. Farmers are planning a «siege» of two key Paris airports — Roissy-Charles de Gaulle and Orly — as well as Europe's largest food market, Rangis, south of the city.
Darmanen said blocking markets and airports were “red lines,” ordering law enforcement to prevent tractors from entering cities. More than 15 thousand police officers are deployed in the French capital region of Ile-de-France.
In France, farmer protests have been gaining momentum in recent weeks. They block key highways, blocking traffic with tractors, haystacks and piles of manure. Farmers also litter prefectures and government buildings with manure and waste. They demand recognition of the importance of their activities and condemn government policies in the agricultural sector, which, in their opinion, make them uncompetitive. In particular, farmers oppose the import of agricultural products, restrictions on the use of water for irrigation, increasing the cost of diesel fuel, as well as restrictive measures to protect the environment and the growing financial burden on production.