Paris, January 27 – The French farmers’ union, Jeunes Agriculteurs, has announced plans to organize a full blockade of Paris and its suburbs, aiming to disrupt the supply of goods to the capital city. In an interview with BFMTV, union representative Maxim Buizar stated that the blockade will prevent any trucks from delivering supplies to Paris. The blockade is set to begin on Monday night and will continue for at least five days, with the goal of highlighting the city’s dependence on farmers and the need for agricultural territories.
Buizar emphasized that this blockade is a significant action, unlike previous shorter protests, and will be strategically planned to ensure a noticeable shortage of products in the city. The preparation for such a large-scale blockade will take time, and as a result, the union will suspend protest actions over the weekend.
The union representative also criticized the measures proposed by Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, deeming them inadequate and not commensurate with the scale of the farmers’ protests. Attal had previously announced that the government had heard and understood the difficulties faced by farmers. He stated that the planned tax increase on diesel, which was one of the reasons for the farmers’ protests, would be abandoned. Attal also mentioned France’s opposition to the free trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur countries, which farmers believe will create unfair competition. The Prime Minister further announced the abolition of certain bureaucratic procedures and increased control to ensure fair remuneration for farmers, in accordance with the Egalim law.
For the past week, farmers have been blocking major transport routes in France, erecting barricades made of hay bales and manure piles. In some communities, protests have taken place in front of prefecture and administrative buildings. In the commune of Agen in the south of the country, farmers have been pouring manure over the prefecture’s fence for several days. They also set fire to hay bales and tires, causing a large fire. Tragically, a mother and her 12-year-old daughter lost their lives during a protest action in Ariege when a car collided with the barricades they were sleeping behind.
According to the National Federation of French Agricultural Unions (FNSEA), over 72,000 farmers have participated in the large-scale protests, with more than 41,000 tractors involved. The farmers are protesting against the importation of agricultural products, water usage restrictions for irrigation, the rising cost of diesel fuel, restrictive measures for environmental protection, and the increasing financial burden on production.
