BERLIN

German farmers drove hundreds of tractors into the capital Berlin on Monday to protest government plans to abolish tax relief for agricultural diesel.

Traffic ground to a halt for several hours in the government district and around the Brandenburg Gate as convoys of tractors moved into the city on major roads.

Joachim Rukwied, president of the German Farmers' Association, described the government's decision as a "declaration of war," and said they would not accept it.

He also warned that farmers would stage nationwide protests next month if the plan was not rolled back.

"Then from January 8th we will be present everywhere in a way that the country has never experienced before,” he said in a statement.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz's left-liberal coalition government announced austerity measures and spending cuts last week to fix a €17 billion (about $18.5 billion) gap in the 2024 budget.

Under the scheme, German farmers will no longer receive tax breaks on the diesel they use and will no longer be exempt from car tax on farming vehicles.

German agricultural associations have been warning that the subsidy cuts would make food even more expensive next year, as transport and energy costs are also expected to rise in 2024.