Farmers from Planalto Mirandês took to the streets this Thursday in Mogaduro, Bragança district, holding a slow march with about 50 tractors, demanding better conditions and more financial support from the government.
At 9:45 am, farmers led a slow march involving about fifty tractors through the town of Mogadora and displayed banners reading “Our end is your hunger” among other slogans.
Dario Mendez, a precarious producer in the municipality of Mogadouro, told Lusa that the protest aims to show civil society that the agricultural sector is abandoned and aid payments “arrive late and in bad times.”
“It is planned that subsidies will be untimely paid and that support for production under comprehensive protection will be reduced by 35%. Therefore, it is impossible to work, because the applications were submitted within the framework of the law, subject to the directives of the Government, and nothing like this can happen.” “, the farmer pointed out.
Nuno Rodriguez, a farmer from Miranda do Douro who also joined the protest, said united farmers are stronger in demanding their rights and support for their products.
“Farmers are not from Mogadoro or Miranda, and the more united [estivermos] but we will have the right to demand. Increasing production factors is another serious problem,” he emphasized.
Hélder Rodríguez, a beekeeper from Planalto Mirandes, said he had a lot of losses in his sector and the government never wanted anything to do with the sector.
“The government cannot change the law to support small farmers and integrated or organic production whenever it wants. More assessments and studies are needed on this issue,” he warned.
Farmers took to the streets today with their tractors, from north to south, demanding recognition of the sector and fair conditions in a protest that is expected to block several roads, as has happened in other parts of Europe.
The protest comes a day after the government announced a package worth more than €400 million aimed at mitigating the effects of drought and strengthening the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan (PEPAC).
According to a statement released on Wednesday, farmers are demanding the right to adequate food, fair conditions and recognition for their activities.
The movement, which describes itself as spontaneous and non-partisan, ensured that Portuguese farmers were ready to “defend themselves against the constant attacks on sustainability, food sovereignty and rural life.”
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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