An estimated 12,500 people took part in a major demonstration in Madrid on Saturday organised by leading associations from Spain’s agricultural and fresh produce sector to demand action from the Spanish government over “the worst crisis in the sector’s history”.
Although the participation figure, provided by Spanish news agency EFE, fell some way short of organisers’ original prediction of 100,000 people, Asaja Murcia said the protest had been a “success”.
EFE’s attendance figure also contrasted sharply with those provided by the event’s organisers, who claimed that some 500,000 agricultural workers had taken part in the demonstration, including up to 80,000 people from Andalusia alone.
The event, which took place on 21 November, was co-organised by Spanish agricultural associations Coag, Asaja and UPA under the title 'Movilización Agraria 2009' and was designed to draw attention to the “serious situation” facing the sector.
According to the organisers, the sector’s income has fallen by an estimated 26 per cent over the last five years, with the loss of 124,000 jobs, while production costs have risen by some 34.3 per cent.
The Madrid march was preceded by a general agricultural strike on 20 November, which featured blockages of major road arteries by tractors and other vehicles, as well as protests across Spain.
According to Coag, more than 90 per cent of Spanish agricultural cooperatives took part in the strike.
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