Last updated: 15.01.2024, 08:04 a.m.
By: Felix Herz
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According to Bund Naturschutz, the problems of the farmers lie with the trading companies and the CSU. Unfair prices and poor market position are the main causes.
Munich – According to Bund Naturschutz, concerns about the future of German farmers can be traced back to low food prices and the price monopoly of the retail giants.
"The planned elimination of agricultural diesel subsidies is not the real problem. The agricultural system suffers above all from unfair prices and the poor market position of the farmers vis-à-vis the trading companies," said Richard Mergner, chairman of the Bund Naturschutz Bayern with regard to the mass demonstration of the farmers in Berlin.
Sharp criticism of the CSU: "Indecent for the CSU to put itself at the forefront of the protests"
Mergner underlined: "The problems are home-made and the CSU in particular has played a significant role in this." The CSU had led the Federal Ministry of Agriculture for 39 years, most recently from 2005 to 2018. It's indecent for the CSU, of all people, to put itself at the forefront of the farmers' protests."
On Monday, the big rally of the farmers' protests will take place in Berlin. Now the Bund Naturschutz in Bavaria is also commenting – and criticizing the CSU in particular. (Symbolic image) © picture alliance/dpa | Daniel Karmann
Mergner also said that Economics Minister and leader of the Free Voters, Hubert Aiwanger, would do better to work on constructive solutions. "Instead of further dividing society with populist slogans in order to make political capital out of it," says Mergner.
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Farmers' protests reach climax in Berlin: Talks in the Bundestag are pending
The traffic light coalition plans to reduce the tax benefits for agricultural diesel. Despite protests, it is sticking to this plan, but the subsidy is to be gradually reduced. The abolition of the vehicle tax exemption for agriculture is not sought by the traffic light coalition. For weeks, farmers across Germany have been protesting against the federal government's plans.
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The farmers' demonstrations against the federal government's austerity plans are to reach their climax on Monday with a rally in Berlin. Farmers fear that their economic future will be threatened by the abolition of diesel subsidies. The chairmen of the three traffic light parliamentary groups SPD, Greens and FDP in the Bundestag have invited the leaders of the agricultural associations to a meeting on Monday.
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Editor Felix Herz wrote this article and then used an AI language model to optimize at his own discretion. All information has been carefully verified. Learn more about our AI principles here.