French President Macron meets farmers’ unions to discuss EU-Mercosur trade deal and lumpy skin disease culls amid ongoing protests and roadblocks.
PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron met farmers’ union leaders on Tuesday in a bid to defuse anger over a controversial trade deal and a government-ordered cattle cull.
The meeting addressed protests against the mass slaughter of cows to contain the spread of lumpy skin disease.
Farmers are also furious about the pending free-trade agreement between the European Union and the South American Mercosur bloc.
Stephane Galais of the Confederation Paysanne union said the purpose was “to try to put out the fire that is raging across the countryside”.
He called for “strong structural measures” from the government.
Pierrick Horel, head of the Young Farmers union, stated simply: “We’ve passed the ball to them. It’s in their court.”
Arnaud Rousseau of the main FNSEA union said it was vital to convey “the extreme tension that is affecting the agricultural world”.
“We are opposed to Mercosur,” he added.
The proposed EU-Mercosur pact would create the world’s largest free-trade area.
French farmers fear being undercut by cheaper imports from agricultural giants like Brazil.
The cattle culls, intended to control nodular dermatitis, have also divided the farming community.
The FNSEA union supports the government’s policy of slaughtering all animals in affected herds.
The agriculture ministry confirmed a new case in southwestern France on Tuesday.
This brings the total number of outbreaks in the country since June to 115.
Farmers have staged protests for days, blocking roads and dumping manure and garbage at government offices.
These actions aimed to force a policy review on the disease control measures.
Protests eased before the holidays but some farmers maintained their blockades.
On Tuesday, motorway blockades remained on the A63 south of Bordeaux and the A64 near Carbonne and Briscous.
