A food law passed by the centrist government designed to give farmers a fairer share of profits has failed to quell their discontent over low wages and growing competition. French farmers infuriated by government policies they say jeopardise their livelihoods drove convoys of tractors into Paris on Wednesday, clogging traffic and adding to the social discontent facing President Emmanuel Macron. More than a thousand tractors rolled into the city from the north and south, blocking major motorways and the inner ring-road, brandishing flags of the two main farm unions behind the protest.

In Paris, farmers scattered hay across the upmarket Champs-Elysees shopping avenue and took over the lanes headed towards the Place de la Concorde square. Riot police scrambled to disperse the crowds.

“Macron, answer us! Save farmers,” read one banner plastered across a tractor rolling down the A1 motorway.

Farmers’ unions are demanding a meeting with Mr Macron to vent their frustrations over policies they say are hurting the agriculture sector and threatening their livelihoods, such as the phasing out of the common weedkiller glyphosate over health concerns.

In addition, a food law passed by Mr Macron’s government – the “loi Egalim” –, which aimed to give farmers a fairer share of profits, had failed to quell their anger over plummeting revenues.

Agriculture Minister Didier Guillaume defended the government’s record, saying the Egalim law would help them once it had had more time to have an impact, but insisted he stood by French farmers.

Mr Guillaume told Europe 1 radio: “I support farmers’ anger and this protest.

“I understand their frustrations and I’m doing my best to respond [to their concerns].

“I’m fighting day and night, seven days a week, for farmers to earn a better living.

“But enough is enough. City dwellers and environmentalists should stop denigrating farmers.”

Resentment among farmers has been growing over what they refer to as “agri-bashing,” or criticism of agriculture over issues ranging from pesticide use to animal welfare.

Attacks on livestock farms and butcher shops by vegan militants have sparked particular outrage, while tensions with environmental activists have worsened amid debates about restricting pesticide use near residential areas and the glyphosate ban.

“We’re the new scapegoats. As soon as something goes wrong, it’s our fault,” Jean-Yves Bricourt, head of the main FNSEA union in France’s Aisne region, told reporters.

Bricourt added: “We’re treated like criminals”.

Farmers blame Mr Macron for hurrying to ban glyphosate by 2021, going against current European Union policy, though the government has since promised exemptions for farms that have no viable alternative.

Farmers have also been angered by Macron-backed EU trade deals with Canada and the Mercosur bloc of South American countries, which they say will flood France with cheap agricultural imports produced to lower quality standards.

France is the largest agricultural producer in the EU and the biggest beneficiary of subsidies under the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy.

Mr Macron, for his part, has struggled for months to ease discontent over his social and economic reform agenda.

His government last week promised emergency financing in a failed bid to stave off further hospital strikes, and has been at loggerheads with unions over pension reform ahead of mass transport strikes on December 5.

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