Ben Pawlowski
ANGRY farmers are set to cause chaos for the second consecutive day this Wednesday with roads and ports closed across Spain.
Following protests on Tuesday, January 6, roads are expected to remain blocked across Andalucia as farmers continue to voice their anger over working conditions and unfair agricultural competition.
Tractor drivers have unblocked the port of Malaga this morning, although they are continuing to demonstrate in other parts of the city.
In Sevilla, hundreds of vehicles have blocked the N-IV at Los Palacios and El Cuervo, whilst the AP-4 is cut in both directions at Las Cabezas de San Juan, severely interrupting the main route between Sevilla and Cadiz.
The A-8100 has also been blocked in the municipality of Carmona, whilst the A-4 at Jerez de la Frontera in Cadiz has been closed.
Within Granada, routes have been impeded on the A-92N in Cullar, although a blockage in Puebla de Don Fadrique had dissipated.
Early-morning demonstrations in Jaen were curtailed due to a large Guardia Civil presence who threatened demonstrators with arrest.
The Civil Guard received over 1,300 complaints regarding farmer protests on Tuesday, which saw substantial road blockages across the region.
Authorities have warned disgruntled farmers not to advance on Spain’s major cities, which could cause significant economic damage.
Spanish farmers have joined European-wide demonstrations as they demand fair competition with overseas producers, such as neighbouring Morocco.
Protestors are advocating for changes to EU policy, including pausing the negotiation of trade deals set to be struck with New Zealand, Chile, Kenya, Mexico, India, Australia and Mercosur, the South American trading bloc.
Agricultural leaders claim that imports from these nations fail to conform to EU internal regulations, and thus homegrown producers are undercut by foreign farmers who can afford to offer lower prices for their produce.
A joint statement from the ASAJA, COAG, and UPA, Spain’s main farming associations, said: “This is an unfair competition that jeopardises the viability of thousands of farms in Spain and Europe”.
They say that regulations which form part of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), along with high fuel and energy costs, make it hard for farmers to make a profit.
Protests over unfair competition, EU red tape and rising costs have no end date, but a calendar detailing protests officially organised by trade unions runs until at least February 23.
However, it does not include separate protests arranged through social media.
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