French Prime Minister François Bayrou received representatives of farmers’ unions at his office in Paris on Monday, as farmers continue to demand concrete solutions to their problems.
Arnaud Rousseau, head of the National Federation of Farmers’ Unions (FNSEA), emphasised the need for a budget for 2025, media reports said.
Rousseau also expressed hope that the agriculture budget will take into account agricultural issues and 450 million euros (about $460 million) will be allocated to strengthen the competitiveness of farms.
Pierrick Horel, president of the Young Farmers (Jeunes Agriculteurs or JA) organisation, said no new demonstrations were planned at this time.
The Paris 2025 International Agricultural Exhibition, which begins on February 22, will be the main opportunity to gauge mores.
On January 10, at the call of the Coordination rurale union, one of France’s largest agro-unions, farmers held several protests, blocking the motorway near Paris and Lyon, disrupting traffic on highways.
Farmers continue to demand the abolition of eco-standards, better control over imports of agricultural products, payment of Eurosubsidies, support for young entrepreneurs, and rejection of unfair competition in the EU, including the agreement signed in December with MERCOSUR, which will lead to an influx of cheap products and damage the agribusiness sector in France.
