In a major development, France's two major farmers unions have decided to suspend protests and lift road blockades across the country, following the announcement of new measures by the French government. The unions have viewed these measures as "tangible progress" towards addressing their concerns over low wages, heavy regulations, and unfair competition from abroad.

The President of Young Farmers union, Arnaud Gaillot, alongside the head of France's biggest farmers union FNSEA, made the announcement on Thursday, urging members to suspend the blockades. Arnaud Rousseau, president of FNSEA, stated that the unions have been heard on several points and acknowledged the government's emergency measures to financially support struggling farmers and wine producers as a step forward.

Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal unveiled a series of new measures to address the grievances of the farming community. This comes in addition to promises made in recent days. The prime minister's speech coincided with protests outside the European Union's headquarters, where angry farmers in heavy-duty tractors demanded relief from rising prices and bureaucracy.

Attal addressed the concerns regarding pesticide regulations by assuring that there will be no new pesticide ban without a viable solution. He also stated that France will not ban pesticides that are authorized in other EU countries. In response to demands from farmers, the prime minister announced an immediate ban on imports of fruits and vegetables treated with the banned insecticide Thiaclopride from outside the EU.

Furthermore, Attal proposed the creation of a "European control force" to combat fraud, particularly related to health regulations, and to prevent the import of food products that do not meet European and French health standards. He also reaffirmed France's opposition to the EU signing a free-trade deal with the Mercosur trade group.

The new measures aim to give food its value back, boost farmers' income, protect them against unfair competition, and simplify their daily lives, according to Attal. The government has allocated 150 million euros ($162 million) in aid to livestock farmers and plans to decrease taxes on farms being transferred from older generations to younger ones. Additionally, the Agriculture Minister, Marc Fesneau, announced a 2 billion euro ($2.16 billion) package to provide loans for aspiring farmers.

To enforce fair pricing for farmers, the French government has doubled the number of controls on food industrial groups and supermarkets that fail to comply with a 2018 law. These companies may face fines of up to 2% of their sales revenues.

The suspension of protests and the government's efforts to address the concerns of farmers signify a positive step towards resolving the issues faced by the agricultural sector in France. It remains to be seen how effectively the measures will be implemented and how they will impact the livelihoods of farmers in the country.