Catalan farmers' organizations call for protest against regulatory neglect'

Several Catalan farmers’ organizations have called for a protest on February 5 to “bring the country to a standstill” to protest unfair prices, “the odyssey” of products imported from other countries, and “extensive” bureaucratic regulations.

Sources have told the Catalan News Agency (ACN) that the farmers intend to block all major roads and access points to major cities to shed light on a “problem that’s not only European but also governmental.”

The protests will join other European demonstrations expected to take place the on same day in other European countries including France, Germany, Romania, and Poland.

The agricultural sector has denounced the “neglect” of the Spanish state and the Catalan government, considering the lack of “will to negotiate” farmers’ salaries and the tax increases, “that should be deducted” to be “disproportionate.”

According to the farmers, the protests are the result of the “strategic” and “negative” decisions of the administration.

In 2023, Catalan farmers denounced that the price increases seen in the supermarkets were not benefiting farmers.

"We are not reaping the benefits of the price increases," Carles Vicente, farmer and member of the Catalan Farmers' Union, told Catalan News in December of 2023, explaining that "production costs like electricity and water have gone up between 30% to 40%."

Catalan farmers also protested against the Spanish and Catalan governments' drought relief in 2023. In July, Catalan farmers took part in a hundreds-strong convoy to Madrid to demand drought relief from the Spanish government.

On Monday morning the Catalan Truckers’ Association (AGTC) criticized the French authorities for their “passiveness” in dealing with last week's farmers’ blockade of the French highways.

40% of all Spanish truck drivers work with international transport, and 90% of all trucks have too cross French territory.  

Calling it “a black Monday”, the AGTC estimated a loss of up to €10 million due to the blockade.