Why did the physiocrats oppose mercantilism?

Physiocrats opposed mercantilism because they believed that wealth was derived from agricultural production rather than from trade and accumulation of precious metals, which mercantilism emphasized. They argued that true economic prosperity came from land cultivation and Natural Resources, asserting that agricultural surplus could generate wealth for the nation. Additionally, physiocrats championed free trade and minimal government intervention, contrasting mercantilism's protectionist policies. Their philosophy underscored the importance of natural order and the productive capacity of the land over the artificial constraints imposed by mercantilist practices.