500 tractors bring Lleida to standstill in farming sector protest

Almost 500 tractors and some 1,500 people, according to local police, brought the center of Lleida to a standstill on Friday, during the largest demonstration by the farming sector ever seen in Catalonia's western provincial capital.

In what the demonstrators described as an "emergency call," the protestors demanded that the authorities turn their words into actions to help the agricultural sector.

Specifically, the demonstrators asked for something to be done about the "crisis" of prices, which have not risen in five years, and called for market penalties against those who do not respect a fair price.

The protesters also demanded public spending in all farming sectors, as losses are not limited to just the sweet fruit sector.

Also taking part in the demonstration were representatives of local towns calling for action to avoid further depopulation in rural areas.