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Olaf Scholz and Cem Özdemir at the Green Week in Berlin

Photo: Fabian Sommer / dpa

A meeting between politicians and farmers at the Green Week was eagerly awaited by observers.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has now visited the international agricultural and food trade fair - and promised farmers practical relief.

"There is actually far too much bureaucracy," said the SPD politician at the trade fair.

Specifically, it is about changing the many regulations in Germany and at EU level so that life and work on the farm becomes easier.

“This is something that everyone can rely on and is therefore also a good statement for the future of our agriculture.”

During a tour of the trade fair, Scholz found out about, among other things, new technology in agriculture - such as a harvesting robot and drones to protect fawns from vehicles in fields.

He spoke to representatives of young farmers.

Farmers are disappointed

Many farmers are currently not in good terms with Scholz and his traffic light government and the assurances about reducing bureaucracy are likely to only satisfy them to a limited extent.

The background is the planned reduction of tax breaks for diesel.

The traffic light is hoping to resolve the conflict with relief for the industry elsewhere.

The German Farmers' Association, however, wants to continue protesting this week, albeit with smaller actions.

“Our farmers are disappointed that they have not been heard,” association president Joachim Rukwied said on Friday at the start of Green Week.

“Starting next week there will be more actions, more like pinpricks, to once again express in a special way how important the withdrawal is,” said Rukwied.

In addition, the next two weeks will focus on further discussions with the governing coalition and the parliamentary groups.

Scholz now said that the government has "firmly decided that we will also discuss in concrete terms with rural agriculture what pragmatic things we can do to make the economic activities of these companies easier and to enable them to have a good economic future «.

Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir tried to collect points from farmers on Friday with his appreciation for agriculture and food production.

The trade fair is “a great overview” of what products are available, said the Green politician.

Despite the extensive farmers' protests, the Bundestag's budget committee last week stuck to planned cuts in diesel subsidies for farmers.

However, both Bavaria's Agriculture Minister Michaela Kaniber (CSU) and North Rhine-Westphalia's Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU) expressed understanding for the farmers' anger.

At the Green Week, those interested can try specialties, pet animals and find out about work in the food industry until January 28th.

1,400 exhibitors from 60 countries will be presenting themselves in the halls under the radio tower.

More than 300,000 people are expected.

apr/dpa