Sawt Falasteen - Macron meets French farmers in bid to defuse anger over trade deal

It was the first meeting between Macron and union leaders since the start of a protest movement against a mass cull of cows to contain the spread of nodular dermatitis, widely known as lumpy skin disease.

French farmers have been fuming over a litany of issues, including a trade deal under negotiation between the European Union and South American bloc Mercosur, with any further decisions postponed to January.

"The purpose of the meeting was to try to put out the fire that is raging across the countryside," Stephane Galais of the Confederation Paysanne union told journalists after the meeting, calling for "strong structural measures."

"We've passed the ball to them. It's in their court," said Pierrick Horel, head of the Young Farmers union.

"What was important for us was to convey to the head of state the extreme tension that is affecting the agricultural world," said Arnaud Rousseau, head of the main FNSEA union. "We are opposed to Mercosur."

The EU-Mercosur pact would create the world's biggest free-trade area and help EU members export more vehicles, machinery, wines and spirits to Latin America at a time of global trade tensions.

Farmers, particularly in France, worry the Mercosur deal will see them undercut by a flow of cheaper goods from agricultural giant Brazil and its neighbours.

Meanwhile, the culls have divided the unions, with FNSEA supporting the government's policy under which all animals in affected herds are slaughtered.

On Tuesday, the agriculture ministry confirmed a new case of the disease in southwestern France, bringing the total number of outbreaks recorded in the country since June to 115.

Protesting farmers have for days blocked roads, sprayed manure and dumped garbage in front of government offices to force the authorities to review their policy.

The protests eased ahead of the holiday season but some farmers refused to budge. On Tuesday, motorway blockades remained in place on the A63 south of the city of Bordeaux and on the A64 in the towns of Carbonne and Briscous.

O.Salim--SF-PST