Spanish growers came together with their counterparts from other branches of farming in an historic demonstration in Madrid on Saturday.
More than 200,000 growers and farmers marched through the capital in the largest-ever demonstration of its kind in protest at low pricing, falling incomes and government inaction.
The action was called by Spain’s three largest farming unions - Coag, Upa and Asaja - and united a disparate and fragmented sector like never before.
Coag secretary general Miguel López said: “For the first time in this country, the countryside is truly united because we are facing the worst crisis in our history.”
He said that farm incomes have fallen by 26 per cent over the past five years as a result of a massive 34.3 per cent rise in costs and a fall in prices.
Some 124,000 farming and growing jobs have been lost in Spain over the same period.
Asaja president Pedro Barato called on the government to take the sector seriously, “just as it has done with the car, banking and construction industries”.
And Upa secretary general Lorenzo Ramos said: “We are not asking for money, just laws which will allow the money that consumers are paying for our products to be shared fairly and not in favour of the large supermarket chains, who are lining their pockets.”
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