Hay bale blockades and tractor chaos: Belgian farmer protests cause travel chaos

A few hundred tractors have snarled traffic across the nation of 11.5 million people.  Credit: AP

Farmers in Belgium have caused major disruption on some of the country's busiest roads as they continue to protest for a fourth day.

Hay bales have been used to create blockades, leaving Belgians struggling to get to work and some having doctor's appointments cancelled.

A few hundred tractors have snarled traffic across the nation of 11.5 million people. 

The farmers will be taking their demonstration to the EU headquarters in Brussels on Thursday where leaders from across the bloc are due to meet and discuss aid for Ukraine.

Farmers gather in the centre of Brussels, Belgium, on Wednesday. Credit: AP

The Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Cross said he would address the issue during the summit on Thursday as Belgium currently holds the EU presidency, which rotates around the 27-nation bloc.

The rallies are one of several protests across mainland Europe as farmers demand better prices for their produce, less red tape to do their work, and protections from foreign competition.

Mr De Cross is treating protests with extreme caution, saying that it is important to listen to the farmers.

"They face gigantic challenges," he said, citing adaptations because of climate change and countering environmental pollution.

In neighbouring France, angry farmers showered government offices with manure and vowed to place Paris "under siege" with tractors driving at a snail's pace towards the capital.

Tractors face military vehicles on a blocked highway in Chilly-Mazarin, south of Paris.

“Everything we warned of 30 years ago is coming true,” said Damien Brunelle, a French farmer of cereals and other crops in the Aisne region northeast of Paris. “Our countryside is emptying.”

“Everything we buy has gone up," Mr Bruelle said. "But we're not getting the same revenue.”

The French government made concessions on Friday, opting to scrap plans for diesel fuel taxes for farm vehicles and cut down some of the red tape in the industry, but farmers were not satisfied with the arrangements.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know…