French farmers block Spanish and German borders in imports protest

FRENCH farmers blocked roads on the borders with Spain and Germany on Sunday night (July 26), in protests at falling food prices.
The A645 motorway from Spain into France was shut off by 10 tractors, with Spanish lorries stopped and searched, the French protestors threatening to dump any meat or fruit on its way to the French market. On the German border in Alsace, six roads were blocked by lorries, the protestors saying they aimed to keep their barricades until Monday afternoon.
According to the FDSEA trade union, around 1,000 farmers and agricultural workers are taking part in the protests. It’s the latest in a series of demonstrations of the famers’ anger over their dropping income, which they blame on unfair competition from abroad, and pressure on prices from supermarkets and distributors. They have already blocked roads in major tourist hubs, such as the famous Mont Saint-Michel causeway, and dumped manure in several cities.