French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal on Friday, January 26, offered a key concession to protesting farmers on diesel tax as part of measures the government hopes will end growing nationwide demonstrations. Attal said during a visit to a farm in southwestern France that he would "put an end" to the rising cost of diesel for farm-machinery use as a consequence of the phasing out of tax breaks on the fuel.
Attal's announcements follow days of disruption on motorways as well as tractor convoys through major cities and protests in front of government buildings. The A1 motorway heading north from Paris was blocked from Friday morning by tractors and hay bales, causing big jams. In the south, around 400 kilometers of motorway were shut between the Lyon region and the Spanish border.
Attal had gathered his economy, environment and agriculture ministers on Thursday, as the farmers' movement reached new heights with major protests and blockades. The rallies mobilized around 55,000 people, according to the FNSEA.
Agriculture Minister Marc Fesneau on Friday warned food manufacturers and supermarkets that they could face fines if they fail to obey laws on farmers' pay, after receiving an update on purchasing talks between retailers and their suppliers. "We need operators who are economically responsible and patriotic about French agriculture," the minister said.
Farmers have fumed at what they say is a squeeze on purchase prices for produce by supermarket and industrial buyers, as well as complex environmental regulations. But the last straw for many was the phasing out of the tax break on diesel for farm equipment. Some have also called for binding minimum prices for their farm produce, speedier aid payouts or a pause on restrictions on pesticide use. Some of the FNSEA's 140 demands could only be met with new legislation or tricky negotiations at the European Union level.
Demonstrators have also thrown a spotlight on resented free trade agreements between the European Union and food exporters, especially a deal with South American bloc Mercosur that is still in the works. Farmers charge that their non-EU competitors abroad do not have to meet the same standards on issues such as pesticide use.
The authorities have so far held back from using force against road blockades and other forms of protest, including defacement or break-ins at government buildings and food industry sites such as supermarkets and warehouses. On Friday, an empty rural social insurance building was set ablaze in southern city Narbonne as farmers demonstrated nearby.
"There's no cause that can justify property damage or violence... (but) at present there are unfortunately farmers who feel desperate," Young Farmers (JA) union chief Arnaud Gaillot had earlier told broadcaster Sud Radio. "The situation mustn't be allowed to turn sour. The government can't send a message that it doesn't care or isn't living up to its responsibilities," he added.