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Protest against environmental regulations: farmers in the Netherlands block supermarkets

2022-07-04T12:59:30.262Z


Thousands of farmers in the Netherlands see their existence threatened by stricter environmental regulations. Angry farmers use tractors to block deliveries to supermarkets - and block access to ports.


Enlarge image

Blockade of protesting farmers in front of a distribution center in Zwolle, the Netherlands

Photo: Vincent Jannink / ANP / dpa

Again, protests by farmers in the Netherlands are causing restrictions.

In order to prevent planned environmental regulations, farmers have blocked supermarket distribution centers.

With tractors and hay bales, they blocked the access roads in several places in the country.

The Central Association of the Food Trade called the blockades unacceptable and warned of supply bottlenecks in shops.

Farmers want to paralyze the whole country

Some ports have also been blocked - by fishermen supporting farmers.

As a result, according to the shipowners, the ferries to almost all Wadden Sea islands in the north could not go out.

The shipping companies warned vacationers of long delays.

The farmers had announced actions and called for "paralyzing the entire country".

Airports had also prepared for blockades.

At first it was quiet there.

Traffic was also normal on most roads.

The police want to intervene when demonstrators want to block access to Schiphol International Airport near Amsterdam.

In the past few weeks, farmers have repeatedly protested violently against the requirements to reduce nitrogen emissions.

For example, farmers used a tractor to break through a police barricade in front of the home of Environment Minister Christianne van der Wal and empty a liquid manure tank.

30 percent of the companies threatened

The Netherlands is one of the world's largest exporters of agricultural products.

In 2021, products worth around 105 billion euros were exported.

For decades, the country had not complied with European pollution standards.

However, the country's highest court ruled in 2019 that the nitrogen standards may no longer be exceeded.

According to the government, livestock farming in particular is responsible for the nitrogen problem.

Emissions are to be reduced by more than 70 percent in natural areas.

According to government estimates, this will lead to the end of around 30 percent of livestock farms.

mmq/dpa

Source: spiegel

All business articles on 2022-07-04

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