PARIS: French farmers blocked the entrances to two public buildings in Paris on Thursday in protest against “measures” imposed by regulatory agencies, which they say have resulted in reduced yields.
About 100 farmers erected a cardboard wall in front of France’s food safety agency ANSES south of Paris, blocking the path of the country’s agricultural research body INRAE into the capital.
It followed protests on Tuesday against a free trade deal between the European Union and South America’s Mercosur bloc, which France opposes over concerns it would hurt its domestic agricultural industry.
Farmers fear any deal would open up EU markets to cheaper meat and produce from South American rivals, which adhere to stricter EU rules on pesticides, hormones, land use and environmental measures. Not forced to do.
Thursday’s protesters — led by the heavyweight FNSEA farmers’ union — say they are also feeling the sting of restrictions imposed by French regulatory agencies on products such as pesticides. are