French farmers block roads, dump produce as protest edges closer to Paris

Trucks queue in line at sunrise as French farmers block truck access to the SOCAMIL, the purchasing center for Leclerc, as part of their protest over price pressures, taxes and green regulation, grievances shared by farmers across Europe, in Castelnaudary, south of France, January 24, 2024. REUTERS/Nacho Doce

AGEN, France (Reuters) -French farmers blocked highways and dumped crates of imported produce on Thursday, demanding urgent action on low farmgate prices, green regulation and free-trade policies as swelling protests moved closer to Paris.

Farmers said the protests, now in their second week after breaking out in the southwest, would continue as long as their demands are not met, posing the first big challenge for new Prime Minister Gabriel Attal.