mobilized in Barcelona, ​​Spanish farmers denounce competition from countries outside the European Union

In turn, Spanish farmers began a protest movement with demands similar to those of their French counterparts.

After the French and Germans, it is now Spanish farmers who are mobilizing to denounce excessive production costs, competition from non-EU countries and excessive bureaucracy. Tuesday, February 13, anger was especially concentrated in Barcelona where several nerve centers of the city were paralyzed.

To the south of the city, several dozen tractors block the entrances to Mercabrana, the largest wholesale market in Catalonia. Their demands are quite similar to those of their European counterparts. Mauri Bosch, fruit and vegetable producer, denounces above all unfair competition from countries outside the European Union: “We have enormous problems with all these countries which export their products to us. Their work standards and their phytosanitary standards are different from ours. We have the example of vegetables from Morocco or Turkey, oranges from South Africa. South and Argentina or even cereals from South America.”

Spain, Europe’s leading producer of fruit and vegetables

Competition from North Africa and Latin America is significant here, since Spain is the leading European producer of fruits and vegetables. Ségolène Royal’s recent declarations against Spanish tomatoes and targeted actions in France against trucks of Spanish products were not well received.

Ricard Huguet is a producer of organic fruits and vegetables near Barcelona: “It puzzles me because the rules of the Common Agricultural Policy apply to all members of the European Union. We too could complain about French cheese or French milk. But frankly, it’s absurd! “

“The problem with French agriculture is not Spanish agriculture!”

Ricard Huguet, organic vegetable producer

at franceinfo

At lunchtime, under the gaze of the police, farmers grill sausages and artichokes. They have been mobilizing for several days and they are determined to make themselves heard. Their situation is all the more difficult as they face an unprecedented drought. In Catalonia, they must reduce their water consumption by 80%.

An untenable situation denounces Ricard Huguet: “The only ones who are suffering and suffering from the drought since last year are the farmers and the breeders. Why is tourism practically not affected by the restrictions linked to the drought while at the same time, we are almost forced to stop our activity?” Around 4 p.m., when there was no more activity at the wholesale market, the farmers lifted the blockade. They will decide later in the evening whether to resume mobilization on Wednesday morning.