why could actions get tougher in Lauragais?

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Monday, November 18, 9 p.m. Pallets, straw and tires catch fire on the roundabout of the Borde Blanche activity zone, route de Gardouch, in Villefranche-de-Lauragais. This “fire of anger” was lit earlier in the evening by farmers in the area who then left the scene. Eight firefighters, aboard a large-capacity tanker truck and a ton pump van, were dispatched to the scene. They will fight the flames for several hours, before returning the next morning to extinguish the fumaroles which still escape from what remains of the almost 15 m³ waste that went up in smoke. The same evening, lights were also lit on the D18 roundabout located between Préserville and Lanta or at Cintegabelle. But also in other towns in Haute-Garonne such as Cazères, Luchon or Carbonne.

A rather timid start to mobilization

Objective of the farmers with this action: to express their discontent and respond to the call launched by the Young farmers (AND) and the Federation of Farmers' Unions (FDSEA) as part of a operation called “The countryside is burning”organized that evening.

It must mark the kick-off of a mobilization which could harden in the coming days. And even last over time if the demands of the agricultural world were not heard quickly by the Government. “For the moment, we are not planning to block, but civil society must understand the importance of buying French products so that we continue to live and, for them, to eat correctly,” warned Laura Serresfarmer in Avignonet-Lauragais and president of FDSEA 31 before this action.

If the start of this mobilization seemed rather timid, it is also because many farmers still have a lot of work in the fields. Some are in the middle of sowing and are therefore not ready to abandon their farms to embark on a movement that could drag on forever. This is the case for example in the Revel sector where no action was planned for this Monday evening. “We didn’t manage to mobilize enough people this time”concedes Lucas Pessatopresident of the Young Farmers of the canton of Revel, contacted by Voice of Midi Lauragais. “It must be said that some still have a lot of work and given the weather conditions forecast, many prefer to move forward with seedlings rather than demonstrate », he justifies.

The Mercosur treaty crystallizes tensions

However, the anger of farmers is very palpable. And all it takes is a little spark for it to turn into revolt. This could be caused by the ongoing negotiations between the European Union and the South American countries of Mercosur around a proposed free trade agreement which promises toopen the European market a little further to Latin American products.

“The current concern is the draft agreement between the EU and Mercosur,” explains Laura Serres. But we also fight for the right to make a decent living from our profession. And thatwe stop importing products into France that do not have the same level of requirements as those imposed on us. »

A tightening of actions to be expected?

Farmers also regret that the 70 commitments made by the State at the start of the year, following the strong agricultural mobilization at the end of 2023, were not all followed by concrete actions. And that not all measures announced are necessarily applicable or applied.

Everything therefore seems to be in place to witness a tightening of operations carried out by the agricultural world in the weeks to come, as had also been warned Mathieu Maronesedeputy secretary general of the Young Farmers of Haute-Garonne, at the beginning of November: “It will start slowly with the tearing down of signs on a local scale for example, but not on a large scale for the moment. Not before the end of the month, at least, where we will carry out real blockages in big cities. »

A mode of action also favored by another agricultural union, the Coordination ruralewhich has already announced its intention for several weeks “to starve and paralyze Toulouse” if its demands are not heard at the highest summit of the State.

New mobilization announced next week

Guest of France Info this Wednesday, November 20, 2024, Arnaud Rousseaupresident of the FNSEA, confirmed that new actions by farmers would take place on Tuesday 26, Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 November. Demonstrations which will take place “with respect for property and people,” said the union boss.

These new actions could also be carried out across Lauragais. And this, even in the cantons which were unable to mobilize this Monday evening. “The situation is likely to last a little while, so yes, we will remobilize soon”says the president of the JA de Revel.

With Angélique Passebosc

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