French farmers hand out vegetables to protest cheap imports Flanked by mountains of potatoes in a central Paris square, irate farmers Wednesday handed out free fruit and vegetables to all comers in a protest against cheap imported produce. Organisers said between 700 and 800 farmers from the Paris region showed up for the demonstration, bringing in some 60 tonnes of potatoes and 20 tonnes of onions, apples and pears, all grown in the region. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES.