French farmers’ protests temporarily halted, as government announces new aid measures for agriculture sector
The French farming community’s calls for action have also been echoed by fellow farmers in other European countries, such as Germany, Poland and Belgium.

France has seen some of the angriest of the farmer protests that have spread across Europe over the past week (Photo: AFP/Sebastien SALOM-GOMIS)
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PARIS: The biggest farmers’ unions in France are suspending their road blockades for the moment, after the government announced new measures to aid the agriculture sector.
Thousands of tractors had been parked on highways up and down the country for several days, as part of protests by the sector over cheap imports, fuel taxes and the impact of the green transition on their livelihoods.
Their calls for action have been echoed by fellow farmers in other European countries, such as Germany, Poland and Belgium.
IN IT FOR THE LONG HAUL
Agriculture workers have been blockading the highways across France with tractors and trailers, bringing mainstream traffic to a halt as the farming protests continue.
This includes the A1 motorway, a 211km motorway linking the capital Paris and the northern city of Lille, which is typically one of Europe's busiest roads.
Farmers are campaigning against competition from cheap imports, red tape, high production costs, and price pressures from retailers.
They are also concerned about the impact of the green transition and climate change policies on their sector.
Protestors told CNA they are prepared to be in it for the long-haul.

Farmer Alexis Patria said the group is “serious in our demands”, and will be monitoring in the coming weeks whether the government measures are actually put in place.
“If the measures are not applied or we don’t get results, then the protest movement will pick up again, and sadly I think it will become more violent,” said Mr Patria.
FORGOTTEN AND SIDELINED
A key issue the farmers are angry about is the feeling that countryside communities like theirs are being forgotten and sidelined by ministers in government.
As the tractor is emblematic of agricultural life, bringing their vehicles to the outskirts of Paris is an attempt to remind the government of the struggles people from rural backgrounds face in these times.
The French government has responded by announcing a suspension of an agricultural fuel tax increase, along with more financial support for the farming sector.
Some of the demonstrators, however, want even more action to be taken at the broader European level.

The farmers’ protests are not just confined to France, and have also been taking place across Europe.
On Feb 1, farmers had protested in the Belgian capital of Brussels to press a summit of European Union (EU) leaders for more help in coping with taxes and rising costs.
They threw eggs and stones at the European parliament, started fires near the building, and also set off fireworks.
Farmers across the continent are worried about a proposed trade deal between the EU and some Latin American countries, along with the impact of Ukrainian crop exports flooding the European market.

However, they expect some difficulty in pushing for their agenda, farmers told CNA.
“We really feel that there’s going to be a problem. Lobbyists are very present in Brussels to push for their ideas, but we are farmers and we are here to feed the European people,” farmer Bruno Delacour told CNA.
“Sacrificing our food autonomy today, for us, that rings alarm bells as it would be a danger for all of Europe.”