Tensions rise as farmers dump truck loads of lemons on road during latest tractor rally and demonstration in Malaga

National Police riot officers were forced to take up position to protect the entrance to the Spanish government delegation building in the city after fruit was thrown at it

Matías Stuber

Wednesday, 13 March 2024, 14:55 | Updated 16:36h.

Opciones para compartir

The division between the province's farmers who feel represented by the agricultural associations and those who have sided with the 6F platform — the group that organised the initial protests on WhatsApp groups — became evident in Malaga city centre today, Wednesday 13 March.

Around 20 tractors and farm vehicles blocked Paseo de Sancha while a hundred farmers noisily gathered outside the Spanish government delegation's local office. There was heckling of representatives from the convening associations, Asaja, Coag, UPA and Cooperativas Agro-Alimentarias by some of the protestors.

Imagen principal - Tensions rise as farmers dump truck loads of lemons on road during latest tractor rally and demonstration in Malaga — Salvador Salas

Imagen secundaria 1 - Tensions rise as farmers dump truck loads of lemons on road during latest tractor rally and demonstration in Malaga — Salvador Salas

Imagen secundaria 2 - Tensions rise as farmers dump truck loads of lemons on road during latest tractor rally and demonstration in Malaga

Riot police

Tension then escalated with the arrival of two pick-up trucks loaded with lemons which were scattered on the road and then thrown at the building. This forced the National Police riot officers to take up positions to protect the entrance.

As a whole, the farming sector expressed its unease once again about the current situation in the countryside, which they say is becoming dangerously unsustainable due to the current agricultural policies. This message was communicated by the president of Asaja, Baldomero Bellido, the secretary general of Coag, Antonio Rodríguez, and the manager of Cooperativas Agro-Alimentarias, Carlos Cintas. Among the demands raised were a need for compliance with the food chain law, urgent solutions to the drought, and control of products entering from outside the European Union.

Appeal to consumers

Salvador Hevilla, a honey producer from Coín, told SUR that "the entry of products from other countries that do not meet the same requirements that are demanded of us makes this unsustainable". He also appealed to the consumer "to be aware of where the product comes from and to consume national products".

Paco Ruiz, an olive grower, whose business is Aceites Finca Rosa Alta in Archidona, stated that "unfair competition is making agricultural activity increasingly unsustainable. And competition is not only a problem of price, it is also the lack of sanitary control of products coming in from outside".

Urgent drought solutions

Mónica Jurado, owner of a mango farm in Frigiliana, expressed her concern about the lack of water and called for "urgent solutions to alleviate the drought". She added that, "we must make progress in the construction of desalination plants".

The protest this Wednesday was also attended by municipal members of Vox, who showed their disagreement with the 2030 Agenda. Spokesperson with the far-right leaning fringe at Malaga city council, Antonio Alcázar, said: "We came to support our farmers."

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