A group of protesters opposing the construction of irrigation basins in France staged an unannounced action at the port of La Rochelle in the western part of the country, Azernews reports citing TASS.

Despite a ban by city authorities, around 200 farmers, union members, and environmental activists managed to enter the port premises on tractors and block several facilities, including warehouses belonging to the agro-industrial company Soufflet.

The organizers of the action accused Soufflet and other companies of "speculating on intensive grain crops at the expense of land, water, and people, while destroying farmers' incomes to increase their own."