French farmers have blockaded borders with Germany and Spain because they believe imports are lowering their prices and profits.

And they have the backing of French President Francois Hollande who is calling for a high-level meeting with European nations.

“Between now and then, we will continue to pressure, so that the farmers are certain, protests or not, that we are at their side,” he said.

The farmers at the German border were looking for trucks carrying meat and were keeping them from crossing the border.

German Agriculture Ministry spokesman Jens Urban declined to comment on the protest but said he didn’t think it was leading to a total stoppage of German agricultural exports to France.

The farmers also blocked the Spanish and German border highways on Sunday as part of an ongoing protest against low prices caused by cheap imports and pressure from grocery chains that have put about 10 per cent of livestock farms on the verge of bankruptcy, according to the government.

“French agriculture is suffocating and no one realizes it and no one says anything,” Franck Sander, president of the main farmers’ federation in the Bas-Rhin region, told France-Info radio.

The French government last week offered a 600-million euro ($654 million) agricultural plan to back loans and delay tax payments for farmers, who say that is not enough.

France cannot give direct financial aid under EU rules.