Dutch farmers have been revolting against their government’s climate policy for weeks. The goal is to reduce nitrogen emissions nationwide by 50 percent by 2030. According to the authorities, this could mean the end of a third of livestock farms. The peasants fight back.
In addition to violent protests, supermarket warehouses and ports are now increasingly blocked. More than 20 distribution centers of the major supermarket chains have already been affected – including market leaders Albert Heijn and Jumbo, Coop. Plus Aldi and Lidl. Holidaymakers also felt the consequences of the protest. For the first time, fishermen had blocked the harbors with their boats in solidarity with the farmers. The ferries could not reach the islands for several hours and holidaymakers had to expect long waiting times, the shipping companies warned. However, the largest port in Europe, the Port of Rotterdam, was not affected by the actions.
Marc Jansen, director of the Central Food Association, called on the authorities to intervene. “This can’t go on any longer,” he said on the radio. “We have nothing to do with the conflict between the state and farmers.” Regional media have already reported empty shelves in some supermarkets. Fresh products such as bread, vegetables, fruit and milk are especially scarce.
Farmers want to “paralyze” the entire country
As in the past two weeks, farmers also blocked several highways and driveways. Occasionally there were long traffic jams, especially at the German border at Enschede, Venlo and Eindhoven. However, according to the traffic authorities, the problems on the roads were limited.
Farmers’ representatives had called for “paralysis of the whole country”. But the airports have been spared so far.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
