French farmers staged protests and deployed tractors to encircle Paris, blocking highways to pressure the government for more favorable conditions in the agriculture industry, Associated Press reports.
The farmers called for more support for the agricultural sector, demanding that producing food should be more lucrative, easier, and fairer. Despite attempts by the new Prime Minister Gabriel Attal to address agricultural concerns, the farmers considered the measures insufficient.
The government deployed 15,000 police officers to prevent protesters from entering Paris. Protesters established barricades with tractors and harvesters, describing it as a “siege,” aimed at extracting more concessions from the government.
The global food crisis, exacerbated by Russia’s war in Ukraine, has contributed to French farmers’ concerns about rising costs, overregulation and competition from countries with lower production costs.
