While organisers had spoken of up to 400,000 protesting in Madrid, the Sunday demonstration in Palma by farmers in Mallorca was rather more modest. Some fifty people took part - farmers, livestock breeders, representatives of agricultural business and cooperatives as well as hunters.
The president of the Asaja business association in the Balearics, Joan Company, spoke for the protesters, highlighting the skyrocketing costs of production. Diesel, electricity, phytosanitary products, fertilisers, these have all risen, "while producers' prices haven't risen at all". "It's very difficult to make a living."
An example was given of potatoes. The price per kilo paid to producers needs to rise by between 7 and 10 cents. "Otherwise there won't be any profit."
There were demands that the Spanish government provides solutions to the problems of the agricultural community in the Balearics. Fundamental measures are required to lower production costs and to address competition from elsewhere in Europe where regulations are less demanding. In addition, the prices paid to producers need to improve.
4 comments
To be able to write a comment, you have to be registered and logged in
Consumers want cheap food they want cheap everything. The CAP promotes over production and market distortions due to outdated subsidies. Oversupply causes sales price to fall economics 101. Article this morning in business press Germany now pressing European Commission hard to reopen trade deal talks with the USA. Hard times new reality. This will require and I use that word deliberately the European Union’s acceptance of USA agricultural products with no limits. If Spain’s farmers can’t make a living now heaven help them when that wave of commodity agri products hits them. The consumers will get cheap though….
The culprit isn't the gov, it's who pays the farmers. But as always, people want the government solve their problems.
Adam, have u ever heard a farmer that doesn't complain? Too much rain: they want aid. Too dry: they want aid. Some weird disease that makes their overcrowded cow/pig/chicken a health risk: they want aid. Fuel prices are high: they want aid. Onion prices too low: they want aid. We, the plonkers with businesses and staff, just have to survive whatever the weather or circumstances: no aid.
Farming is super hard work with little or no reward I speak to farmers all the time they don't have anything good to say about the government actually just mention the word and they will get so pissed off you'll have to walk away whilst they are still going on !