Spanish farmers are demanding change form the EU. Thousands of them marched through the streets of Madrid on Saturday, to demand higher prices for their produce and protest against the European Union's common agricultural policy.
More than 25,000 from across the country took part in the protest, one of the organisers of the event, the Spanish association of young farmers (ASAJA), said in a statement.
The demonstration was called to ‘demand that the government find solutions to the deep crisis which the sector is facing, especially for fruit, vegetables and wine growers, given the ruinous prices that are paid,’ the statement said.
The price paid to farmers for oranges has been halved between 1994 and 2007 while the cost of gasoline during the same period has doubled, the association said as an example.
"In the countryside we spend two but charge one. What is left? Ruin," and "Farmer don't sell your product without a fair price," were some of the banners on display.
The protestors said they want EU agricultural subsidies to be increased and be paid directly to farmers.
The EU awards billions of euros each year in subsidies aimed at agricultural support and rural development as part of its common agricultural policy.
But since 2003 these subsidies have increasingly been decoupled from farm production levels and made dependent on indicators, such as animal welfare and environmental protection.
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