The cattle epidemic in France has been brought under control.

The Lumpy Skin Disease Outbreak in France Has Been Contained

The French government announced that the outbreak of lumpy skin disease, which had led to protests from farmers in the country, has been successfully contained, alongside the free trade agreement between MERCOSUR and the European Union (EU) that is in the signing phase.

French Minister of Agriculture Annie Genevard confirmed that the outbreak detected in cattle has been successfully controlled nationwide.

Minister Genevard emphasized the effectiveness of the large-scale vaccination campaigns and various measures taken to prevent the spread of the outbreak. She also pointed out that the winter conditions have reduced the pace of the epidemic.

Farmers' Response to Protests

While the fight against lumpy skin disease, observed in cattle for nearly four months, continues, the government's adoption of the compulsory "culling" method to combat this disease, which can lead to the death of cattle, has drawn backlash from farmers. Many regions across the country organized protest demonstrations with tractors.

Debates on the MERCOSUR-EU Agreement

French farmers expressed concerns that the free trade agreement between MERCOSUR, which includes Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, and the EU would create "unfair competition." In recent weeks, farmers staged protests in several cities, including Paris.

France had voted against the free trade agreement between the EU and MERCOSUR.

AB-MERCOSUR Agreement Process

EU countries approved the free trade agreement between the EU and MERCOSUR on January 9, which had previously been postponed due to farmer protests and the opposing stances of countries like France, Italy, and Poland.

The agreement is expected to be signed in Paraguay on January 17. The planned agreement will provide customs advantages for certain agricultural products, such as beef, poultry, dairy products, sugar, and ethanol, from MERCOSUR countries, while also opening their markets to European industry.

However, European farmers warn that if cheap agricultural products produced at low standards flood the EU market, many family farms could be at risk of bankruptcy.