Swiss farmers protest supermarket ‘rip-off’

Farmers say they are not being paid enough for their produce. © Keystone / Martial Trezzini

The farmers’ protests have reached Switzerland. Around 30 farmers drove their tractors into the city of Geneva on Saturday morning to demand fair remuneration for their work. In the Basel region, 30 to 40 tractors also took part in a protest. 

In Geneva, the first tractors arrived from Versoix at around 10.30 am, followed by a demonstration from Bernex and Meinier. In the city, more than 200 people grouped around the tractors. 

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The farmers criticised the profit margins of the large supermarkets: “Major distributors, if you are not ashamed, then show the prices that farmers are paid,” read a sign held up in front of a tractor. 

 The French-speaking Swiss farmers’ union Uniterre, which organised the farmers’ protest in Geneva, called for transparency regarding profit margins along the entire value chain. 

There was also a protest by farmers in the Basel region. According to cantonal police, 30 to 40 tractors were involved in the protest drive.  

The protesters started in Ormalingen and gathered, among other things, in front of a McDonald’s branch in Füllinsdorf. The call for protest was made via Instagram. 

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