"Starve Paris to Death"... French Farmers Block Access Roads

The French farmers' protest, which has been ongoing for two weeks, has escalated tensions by blocking eight major arterial roads around Paris. The French government plans to deploy the military to prevent protesters from entering Paris while continuing negotiations with the farmers, but it is expected to be difficult to reconcile interests in the short term.

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

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As the European Union (EU) has announced sweeping environmental regulations for farms, there are signs that farmers' protests will spread not only in France but also across Europe, including Germany, the Netherlands, and Poland.

According to local media France24 on the 29th (local time), farmers affiliated with the National Federation of Agricultural Holders' Unions (FNSEA) mobilized about 800 tractors to block eight major arterial roads leading into Paris. It is also reported that 30 police districts and 16 highways nationwide are difficult to access due to the farmers' protests.

The farmers' protesters threatened, "We protest against unfair competition" and "We will starve Paris to death." The French farmers' protests began about two weeks ago, mainly opposing income reductions, various bans and regulations, and the complicated paperwork required for selling agricultural products, continuing large-scale demonstrations.

The French government has declared a state of emergency and is responding to the protests. President Emmanuel Macron convened a cabinet meeting regarding the emergency and announced that about 15,000 French troops would be deployed to block the protesters from entering Paris.

Earlier, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal announced various measures to calm the farmers' anger. These included a ban on diesel fuel price increases for agricultural machinery, simplification of administrative procedures, and the supply of emergency materials needed for organic farming. However, the farmers have not ceased their protests.

Concerns are rising that protests will occur across Europe as signs of farmers' protests appear not only in France but also in Germany, the Netherlands, and Poland. What has greatly angered the farmers are the various environmental regulations imposed by the EU as conditions for agricultural subsidies in each country and the indiscriminate distribution of Ukrainian agricultural products.

Previously, the EU mandated that 4% of total farmland be left fallow, crop rotation be implemented, and fertilizer use be reduced by 20% as new environmental regulations. The loss of Black Sea export routes due to the war with Russia has led to Ukrainian agricultural products being sold overland through Eastern Europe, causing a sharp drop in agricultural product prices in each country, which has further fueled farmers' anger.

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