Protesting farmers to continue blockade of A-2 highway until Saturday

The farmers who set up a blockade of the A-2 highway in Tàrrega – on the route between Barcelona and Lleida – have decided to keep the road blocked until Saturday lunchtime. 

The Catalan government reached an agreement with representatives from the agricultural sector on Thursday but farmers from the area around Lleida in western Catalonia chose to delay calling off their protest to show their skepticism of the deal. 

"The people who are here don't want to leave because they want solid agreements and to see results," said farmer Josep Arrufat. 

Arrufat was one of a group of farmers who – separate from the negotiations in Barcelona – met with Catalan president Pere Aragonès on Thursday in the town of Espluga de Francolí. 

"The problems that we are facing as crop and livestock farmers are very serious, so our protests have to be at the same level," said farmers' spokesperson, Ramon Gomà about why the blockade has not been lifted despite an agreement.

The farmers' decision to maintain the blockade until Saturday was not unanimous. 

Gerard Cardona, a representative of Revolta Pagesa (Farmers' Revolt) involved in the Barcelona negotiations with climate action minister David Mascort, regretted the farmers' decision, as negotiators had committed to clear the roads on Thursday night. 

"If they keep the blockade, the Barcelona agreement will go up in smoke," he warned. 

On the other hand, Arrufat argued that Revolta Pagesa had committed to lifting the blockade before "talking to people to see what they thought." 

"We've been told too many lies and we don't believe them," he said, referring to the Catalan executive. 

Girona farmers lift AP-7 blockade 

After an hour and a half of debate on Thursday evening, farmers from the Girona area in northern Catalonia decided to lift their blockade at Pontós – where the AP-7 highway meets the N-2 – after obtaining "90%" of what they asked for. 

"We are lifting the blockade reluctantly," said Jordi Ginebreda, a member of Revolta Pagesa. If the agreement is not fulfilled, he added, "we will come back again stronger."  

The AP-7 was blocked for almost three days, with communal meals, and concerts and even a pine tree planted in the middle of the road. 

Agreement 

Following a four-hour meeting with farmers in Barcelona on Thursday, Climate Action minister David Mascort agreed to add "Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries" to the name of his department and to reorganize the water supply division of the Catalan Water Agency (ACA). 

Mascort also announced a new supplementary aid of €200 per hectare for cereal producers in areas where irrigation is prohibited due to the ongoing drought. 

Why are farmers protesting?

Red tape is farmers' main concern across Europe. They argue that EU bureaucracy is overly complicated and time-consuming, leading to wasted resources on paperwork. 

Experts note that strict European regulations are affecting farmers' profit margins, with excessive controls on traceability, mandatory training, changing regulations, and challenges in processing subsidies.

While European farmers struggle with burdensome red tape and adhere to strict environmental and food safety laws, a significant portion of the food consumed in the EU is sourced from countries outside the bloc at significantly lower prices.

Catalonia is also experiencing its worst drought on record, and farmers have been facing water restrictions for nearly three years.

Recently, the Catalan government declared a drought emergency in the Ter-Llobregat system, which supplies water to 6 million people. In this area, farmers have had to reduce irrigation by 80% and livestock farmers by half.

To learn more about the farmers' protests, listen to the podcast below.