Paris, France – French President Emmanuel Macron remarks sparked widespread anger in agricultural circles after he expressed a “somewhat positive” stance towards the trade
agreement between the European Union and the French agricultural sector.
The Mercosur countries (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay),
This is an agreement that farmers fear will lead to the destruction of the French agricultural sector.
A stab in the back for farmers
According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), representatives of agricultural
unions considered Macron’s statements
It represents “a stab in the back for French farmers”.
They warned that opening European markets to agricultural products from South America
This will lead to the French market being flooded with cheaper products
that are less compliant with environmental and health standards.
Macron will cause the death of French agriculture.
One of the leaders of the farmers’ union said that Macron approach
means “the death of French agriculture”.
He pointed out that farmers in Europe already face high production costs
and severe environmental pressures,
Mercosur countries benefit from less stringent standards and lower production costs.
Loss of thousands of jobs
Farmers fear that the implementation of the agreement made by Macron
will lead to the loss of thousands of jobs in rural France,
and a collapse in meat and grain prices.
Especially in light of the economic crisis that the agricultural sector
has been suffering from for years.
Despite Macron’s assurance that his country would guarantee
the protection of French agricultural interests in any final agreement
