Mallorca's primary sector mobilizes again: two tractor protests on January 29

PalmAlmost two years ago, farmers and ranchers in the Balearic Islands, like those in the rest of Europe, took to the streets with their tractors to demand a comprehensive European, national, and regional plan to end unfair competition, reduce bureaucracy, and support the agricultural sector. Given the lack of change, on January 29th, Balearic farmers will once again take to the streets with their tractors to denounce the critical situation facing the countryside and demand urgent action from the authorities.

On one hand, the Farmers' Union of Mallorca and the Association of Organic Agricultural Production of Mallorca (Apaema) have called for a tractor protest that will begin at 10:00 a.m. in the Son Fusteret parking lot. From there, the tractors will begin a strategic route that will pass through key points in the agri-food sector. The tractors will travel along Carrer del Ter, Carrer del Gessamí, and Camí Salard. The route will include a symbolic action, and the tractors will enter the Son Morro industrial park, passing by the Agama facilities to highlight the crisis in the dairy sector and the processing of local products. Afterward, the vehicles will join the Manacor road towards the second ring road and head towards Mercapalma, Mallorca's only wholesale market for local products, where the protest will conclude.

The main demands that Apaema and the Farmers' Union intend to make On the table with this action are the need to ensure that the treaty between the European Union and Mercosur does not create unfair competition for Mallorcan farmers, the defense of local products, the reduction of bureaucracy, and the rejection of farmers' access to subsidies.

Meanwhile, the Union of Small and Medium-Sized Farmers and Ranchers, along with the Intersectoral Agricultural Association (UPA-AIA), the Balearic agri-food cooperatives, and the Young Farmers' Association (Asaja), have organized another tractor protest in Ariany, starting at 10:00 a.m. in the restaurant parking lot. The organizers have already reported the participation of more than 130 tractors and trucks. Joana Mascaró, manager of UPA-AIA, explained to ARA Baleares that the tractor protest was organized in Ariany because "it's the center of Mallorca and the easiest way for all the farmers in Mallorca to get there."

Although there are two different calls for proposals, both demand the same things: a common CAP, less bureaucracy, rejection of the European Union-Mercosur agreement, the need for compensation for the additional costs of insularity, and support for the agri-food industry, among others.