Hundreds of tractors take to Paris streets
Hundreds of tractors rolled into Paris Tuesday as part of a demonstration by farmers against falling grain prices and the future of their industry. Some 10,000 farmers in all gathered in the capital to draw attention to the looming possibility of mass bankruptcies.
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The convoy of tractors entered Paris moving only 35 kilometres an hour, blocking traffic during the morning rush hour. They displayed banners saying “Sarkozy get to work! Don’t sell out agriculture!”
They want President Nicolas Sarkozy’s government to take emergency aid measures to help them stave off bankruptcy. Grain farmers in particular say it’s difficult to keep in business because of rising commodities prices and increased social charges.
Yves Salmon, grain farmer
“For the time being French farmers are using their savings… they’re using short-term credit from their bankers, but this cannot last until the end of the year,” Yves Salmon, a grain farmer and former General Secretary for the FNSEA, the French farmers union, told RFI. “Something must be found before the end of this year.”
“[In France] we still have a lot of medium-sized farms, some are still very small farms... Even with good soil, it’s not enough today to have a decent way of living,” he added.
Last year, grain farm revenues dropped an average of 51 per cent because of falling prices.
French Agriculture Minister Bruno Le Maire has acknowledged that something needs to be done to save farms. Salmon says the challenge will be working with Europe.
“They agree about support to agriculture but don’t agree on what kind of support,” he said.
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