At the Agricultural Show, Macron protects the rural world in the face of upheaval

The big annual meeting of farmers and breeders opened its doors this Saturday morning February 25 in Paris. The Agricultural Show will last until March 5, but for the opening day, French President Emmanuel Macron is present and is due to spend the day there.

With our special correspondents Porte de Versailles, Valerie Gas And Richard Riffoneau

Emmanuel Macron began his stroll around 9:30 a.m. this morning, but he had arrived earlier to meet with representatives of the fishing industry behind closed doors; a discussion and an appetizer directly with a tasting of oysters.

The president then cut the cord to inaugurate the show and paid a visit to the muse cow, a salers named Ovalie, who sits majestically in her box at the entrance. This morning, Emmanuel Macron talked a lot about meat, milk, he listened, answered and he was challenged, for example on the question of relay antennas which have effects on the health of livestock and kill animals.

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Emmanuel Macron, after his meeting with members of the fishing industry, at the 59th Agricultural Show in Paris on February 25, 2023.

Retreats come to the show

And then, at the turn of a stand, Emmanuel Macron was overtaken by pensions, a few demonstrators held up signs bearing the inscription: “Metro, job, cellar, 64 years old, it’s dead”. The president continued on his way, but then answered a question about this reform which did not pass: “ I was at Rungis and I was also able to express myself on pensions, moreover, each time with this desire to convince, to explain that basically our pay-as-you-go system must be saved. We cannot take purchasing power away from workers, we cannot lower the pensions of retirees, so there is only one solution, which is to work more. This “work more” must be done taking into account long careers, hardship, but it is also the key to producing more wealth, and having a good social model. »

Work is now the keyword for Emmanuel Macron and this day at the Agricultural Show should allow him to talk about it.

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Fuels: aid for fishermen extended until October

President Emmanuel Macron announced this Saturday the extension, until October, of the financial aid granted to fishermen to cope with the rise in fuel prices and which was to expire in mid-May, the press told the press. Secretary of State for the Sea Hervé Berville. The President of the Republic has undertaken to protect the fishing industry, in the name of French food sovereignty “, told AFP the president of the national fisheries committee, Olivier Le Nezet, after the meeting.

This support takes the form first of all of an extension of “ fuel assistance ” Who ” remainder of 20 cents (excluding tax) per liter of diesel until the end of October » and by setting up a « strategic sector contract expected in October, he said. The extension of this aid for fuels is a way of “ give visibility “to the fishing sector, ” pending the conclusion of the strategic sector contract between all the players “Said Mr. Berville, who accompanied the president. The cost of this fuel aid is “ around 2.5 million euros per month “, he added, stressing that France was today the ” only country that supports at this level » its fishing professionals.

In mid-February, Hervé Berville had announced an extension of this boost, but with decreasing aid, reduced from 20 to 10 cents by mid-May. This aid had been put in place by the previous government of Jean Castex as part of the “ resilience plan campaign aimed at helping companies cope with the economic consequences of the war in Ukraine. While it was originally due to expire at the end of July, it has therefore already been extended several times.

(with AFP)

Also to be discovered: The series of portraits “My life as a young French farmer”

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