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A major farm fair in Paris descended into clashes between riot police and farmers as Emmanuel Macron pledged greater financial help for agriculture, in the latest sign of tensions across Europe over food production.
Dozens of angry farmers stormed the annual Salon de l’Agriculture in Paris before it opened on Saturday, wrestling with police who tried to contain the crowds. Several protesters were arrested.
The French president sought to calm the backlash with pledges of more financial help for struggling farmers. He said would push for Brussels to introduce more protection for farmers across the EU, and add price floors to existing French law to ensure farmers could cover their cost of production when negotiating with retailers.
But he had to call off a walkabout through the salon, which the French president traditionally visits every year. Instead he held a meet-and-greet with farmers who listed their complaints.
Thousands of visitors were left queueing outside as the event’s opening was delayed by several hours.
“We’re not going to be able to fix the farming crisis in a few hours,” Macron said. “I’m calling for calm.”
The skirmishes follow farmers’ protests across Europe, from Romania and Spain to Poland, in recent weeks. They have hit out at what they say is cumbersome environmental legislation, as well as cheap food imports from outside the EU, including chicken from Ukraine on favourable trade terms.
In response European politicians have issued a series of pledges in a bid to placate the industry before EU elections in June.
On Monday farmers will hit the streets of Brussels again as agriculture ministers meet to debate further measures such as exempting farmers from certain EU environmental standards.
French farmers put their blockades on hold a few weeks ago after a series of government measures, but tension has risen again in recent days.
The Élysée Palace tried to organise a “big debate” between Macron and food producers and retailers at the salon, only for it to backfire in a row about the possible attendance of a radical environmentalist group which has clashed violently with farmers in the past.
Macron ended up holding an improvised discussion instead.
“We need contracts that tell us: ‘if you want to become more virtuous, we’ll help you and we’ll pay’,” said one of the farmers.
The French government has already made an estimated €400mn of concessions to the farmers. They include emergency cash and suspending pesticide bans, while urging Brussels to water down some green rules.
Additional reporting by Leila Abboud
