The Head of State addressed important issues for farmers, such as drought or food prices, but also pension reform and the war in Ukraine.
The Agricultural Show opened its doors on Saturday February 25 in Paris. This edition marks the return of an old tradition: the marathon visit of the President of the Republic. In 2021, the show was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic and, the following year, the invasion of Ukraine led Emmanuel Macron to shorten his visit.
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This time, the Head of State should dwell longer on meeting farmers, like his visit of nearly thirteen hours in 2020. From the first hours of the show, he spoke about many subjects in front of the cameras. Here is a summary of his main statements.
A call to large retailers on prices
Inflation was invited to the menu of discussions on Saturday morning. Food prices are likely to rise significantly in March, following the annual price negotiations between distributors and producers. A few days before the deadline, Emmanuel Macron took a stand: “Those who have to make an effort on their margins, [ce sont] the distributors”he estimated after an exchange with breeders.
The inflation context was also discussed during a round table with fishing professionals, the first stage of his visit. On this occasion, the Head of State announced that aid for fuel used by fishermen would be extended until October, reported the Secretary of State for the Sea, Hervé Berville, who took part in the talks.
Against drought, the promise of a “sobriety plan” for water
“We know that we will be confronted as we were last summer with problems of scarcity” water, recognized the President of the Republic, while France is experiencing a record winter drought. “Rather than organizing under duress at the last moment with conflicts of use, we have to plan all that”continued Emmanuel Macron, listing several areas of action: “better harvest rainwater”, “have fewer leaks in the water networks” And “better distribute the use of drinking water according to users”especially in “continuing to produce and invest in hill retentions”.
Applying to the question of water his now famous observation of a “end of abundance”the Head of State called on the French to moderate their consumption and to go “towards behaviors of sobriety in our practices”. The Minister of Ecological Transition, Christophe Béchu, warned on Wednesday on franceinfo that restrictions could be decided “from the month of March”in conjunction with the prefects, in particular to limit the filling of swimming pools.
A reminder of its reservations on the trade agreement with Mercosur
Concluded in 2019, but never ratified, the free trade agreement between the European Union and the South American countries of Mercosur poses the threat of new competition which worries some breeders. Emmanuel Macron echoed those concerns on Saturday: “An agreement with the countries of the Latin American continent is not possible if they do not respect the Paris agreements like us [sur le climat] and if they do not respect the same environmental and health constraints that we impose on our producers.”
The text, however, has more momentum since the election of Lula as President of Brazil, and his promises of another policy for the Amazon rainforest. European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans said the EU hoped to sign the agreement by July.
A defense of pension reform
As often, subjects other than agriculture were invited to the Salon on the occasion of the visit of Emmanuel Macron. Several demonstrators carrying signs challenged him about the pension reform. The Head of State did not respond to them, but he addressed the issue in front of journalists: “We cannot take purchasing power away from workers, we cannot lower the pensions of our retirees. There is therefore only one solution, which is to work more”he reiterated.
A visit to China scheduled for April
Emmanuel Macron announced that he would go to China “At the beginning of April”to refer in particular to the war in Ukraine: he wishes to call on Beijing to “help us put pressure on Russia” in order to “stop the aggression” And “building peace”. What he deems possible only by “a withdrawal of troops and respect for the territorial sovereignty and the Ukrainian people”.