After France’s largest farm union, the FNSEA, organised more than 80 protests on Monday, including rallies in front of government buildings and lighting “fires of anger” in fields overnight, the Coordination Rurale entered the fray on Tuesday to condemn what it called the “death of agriculture”.

French farmers planned on Tuesday to step up their protests against a proposed trade pact between the European Union and four South American countries, saying it threatens their livelihoods.Farmers fear any agreement would open European Union markets to cheaper meat and produce from South American competitors,