French farmers storm the ‘belly of Paris’
Dozens of arrests in protest over pay and conditions as 4,500 tractors take to the roads to halt traffic
DOZENS of farmers were arrested last night as they stormed a wholesale food market dubbed the “belly of Paris” that feeds 12 million people daily.
Emmanuel Macron’s government had warned farmers besieging the French capital not to approach airports or Rungis, the vast food distribution hub to the South of Paris which is the world’s largest fresh food market.
But that failed to take into account the level of anger over what farmers view as unacceptably low pay, stifling red tape, an “unworkable” European agricultural policy and unfair competition from foreign rivals.
Last night about 90 people evaded police to break into the sprawling site also known as “Paris’s fridge”.
Their actions were witnessed by The Telegraph as protesters briefly entered a storage area. They insist they caused no damage. However, the few who made it inside were forcibly removed by riot police who placed them all under arrest for “damaging goods”.
Among the farmers were Irish-born brothers Thomas and Pauric Hegarty, who run a goat and cattle farm in the central Limousin region.
“We always said we would get this far, to Rungis and into the building. That’s what we did today. We made it inside. And now we’ve all been arrested,” said Thomas, 30.
“We’re here to protest against EU regulations like the “Green Deal” and French regulations. It’s just too much paperwork and far too restrictive.
“We can’t produce enough anymore to make a living. It’s just getting harder and harder. This green deal is all to produce less food, use less pesticides and use less fertiliser. But when you produce less and don’t get any more money for it, you go out of business.”
Among those under arrest inside Rungis was Serge Bousquet-cassagne, president of the Coordination rurale union for the Lot-et-garonne département in south-western France.
He was part of a convoy of about 200 tractors that had sought to reach Paris from Agen. Police blocked many of them when they reached the bridges of the Loire river, but the farmers split up and some managed to make it.
“We got inside peacefully. We put our hands up. Now we’re accused of damaging property and we all have been arrested and sent to the police station. It’s absurd; We’re in the land of nutters,” said Mr Bousquet-cassagne.
While farmers belonging to the largest FNSEA union and the Jeunes Agriculteurs chose to remain at eight points outside Paris, Mr Bousquet-cassagne and his colleagues chose a harder line, namely “to blockade Rungis and try to get into Paris too”, as he put it yesterday morning.
Gabriel Attal, the French prime minister, invited Mr Bousquet-cassagne and colleagues for talks – without their tractors. After a “very frank two-hour exchange” in Paris the unionist said that “progress” had been made and that Mr Attal was due to make announcements this morning on “better remuneration and dropping environmental rules and cutting a hell of a lot of red tape.” Despite the apparent breakthrough, farmers chose to enter Rungis because “that was our ultimate aim and farmers keep their word”, said Mr Bousquet-cassagne by way of an explanation.
Frédéric Ferrand, a cereal farmer from Lavoncourt, who drove towards Paris in a van, said: “Our young farmers who have been arrested are heroic. The government didn’t want us to get here but the young farmers are a lively lot and determined.”
Christophe Chou, 56, a farmer from Vesoul, in Haute-saône, in north-east France said: “We drove at night without headlights or flashing lights. When they cornered us, we turned around and drove through fields and forests.”
Vincent Meunier, 45, a cereal farmer from nearby Venere said: “We don’t have enough pay to feed our families. It’s not complicated. I earn almost nothing with my farm – from zero to €15,000 (£12,800) per year, not even the minimum wage. I have to work on the side.”
French authorities have offered concessions, with Mr Attal telling parliament on Tuesday that his government stood ready to resolve the crisis, claiming “France must be granted an exception for its agriculture” in Europe.
The European Commission said it would offer temporary relief from contentious rules requiring some farmland to be left fallow ahead of a key European Council summit in Brussels today.
It will also set up measures to limit fallout from Ukrainian farm produce entering the EU, after tariffs were lifted in response to Russia’s invasion.
Protesters also opposes a proposed trade deal between the EU and the South American Mercosur bloc.
But farmers said the promises, including assurances of higher common agricultural policy payouts did not go far enough.
A police source said that as of midday yesterday there were 6,500 protesting farmers and 4,500 tractors on French roads, blocking 80 spots along major roads.
A huge majority of the French population – 85 per cent – continue to support the farmers’ protests, according to a poll by the Elabe institute for BFMTV.
Another French union, Confédération Paysanne, said it was blockading “four sites linked to logistics platforms” for major supermarkets it says is undercutting farmers.
French and Belgian farmers also teamed up to blockade crossing points between the two countries.
“It’s a message sent to the EU, Belgians and French, we are all in the same boat,” one farmer said.
The head of France’s largest farming union suggested that protests may end in violence as he called for “everyone to calm down”.
Arnaud Rousseau, president of the FNSEA, said: “I am honoured that there are no police officers or gendarmes injured. Will it hold? I don’t know.”
‘Our young farmers who were arrested are heroic – they are a lively lot and determined’