Farm diesel hits €1.649 as Spain farmers plan protests

Farmers and livestock keepers across Spain are planning urgent protests after agricultural diesel rose to €1.649 a litre. The price on 7 September was 48% higher than a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. Farming groups Asaja, COAG and UPA say the increase has pushed the sector to its limit.

On Monday 21 September, Economy Minister and first deputy prime minister Carlos Cuerpo meets food and farming representatives in Madrid at 12.30. Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister Luis Planas will join the talks. Cuerpo then meets industry representatives at 16.00 alongside Industry Minister Jordi Hereu.

Fuel costs hit at harvest time

The groups say dearer fuel and fertilisers since the start of the conflict in Iran have cut farmers’ and livestock keepers’ returns across Spain. They say the latest rise has come at a particularly difficult point in the farming calendar: sowing, the grape harvest and the maize harvest are under way, while the olive harvest is only weeks away.

Ministers consider extending support

The Madrid meetings will examine the impact of the Iran conflict and whether support for families and businesses should continue beyond 30 September, when measures in the government’s war response plan expire.

Cuerpo has said transport and food production need particular attention because their costs spread through the rest of the supply chain. Fuel-price pressure intensified again in August, pushing overall inflation to 4.25%, up seven tenths from July. Analysis centre Funcas expects inflation could reach 4.9% in September and remain above 4% in the following months.

Topics: Jobs & labour · Agriculture · Politics · Economy

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com