These are the roads set to be affected by farmers' protest rallies in the south of Spain this week

Farmers are angry at the EU's strict agricultural policies and the low prices they receive from distributors and supermarkets

Europa Press

Malaga

Monday, 18 March 2024, 10:52

Protesting farmers will be back on the roads this week throughout the Andalucía region, in what will be the seventh occasion of tractor rallies and mass demonstrations.

Organised by several agricultural associations (Asaja, Coag, UPA and Cooperativas Agro-Alimentarias), the sector is set to protest this Monday 18 March at the El Buitrón industrial estate in Huelva, and again on Wednesday 20 March with a planned blockade at the port of Seville. Protesters will end the week on Friday 22 March with 100 tractors set to roll through the centre of Granada.

The region's agricultural associations expect 5,000 people and tractors from the Huelva countryside to participate in today's protests, which will take place from 10am, starting at the San Juan del Puerto-Trigueros roundabout (El Buitrón industrial estate). "Come and join the protests for the dignity and future of a sector that accounts for around 10% of the GDP of the province, which generates employment and establishes the population in rural areas," they said.

The organisations pointed out that agriculture and livestock farming in Huelva "is going through a structural crisis that threatens its survival and alienates new generations". Huelva is "the most forgotten province" when it comes to water supply, they added. In the past week, protests were held in Almeria and Malaga - there was also a spontaneous farmers' demonstration in Cadiz.

Demands

Farmers are angry at the EU's strict agricultural policies and the low prices they receive from distributors and supermarkets, which do not allow them to cover their costs and could see the sector squeezed out of business.

Among the demands, farmers want guaranteed supply of water "as a matter of urgency" and an increase of compensatory IVA (Spain's sales tax) on agricultural products by 21%. They want direct aid to tackle the drought and said: "non-EU products should only enter with the same requirements that are demanded of us".

They also insisted on scrapping the animal rights and animal welfare law; an in-depth study of the labour problem in the rural world; measures to help encourage young farmers; and a review and modification of the law on the restoration of nature and the 20-30 agenda.

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