There are areas of Spain where Spanish farmers are suffering financial hardship.Last week farmers from Andalucia were demonstrating with thousands of others about their plight.There were over 200 demonstrations all over Spain plus a large demonstration in Madrid last Saturday.

These demonstrations were meant to highlight the extremely difficult times that farmers are experiencing at the present time.Prices are falling,production costs are rising and yet they see their products being sold in supermarkets at inflated prices.

The farmers are calling on the government to introduce market regulation to maintain prices which are deemed to be fair.They also want the government to control the dominant position of the large distributors.This would enable them to negotiate minimum prices which are linked to production costs.Another important message is going to the EU and that is to show preferential treatment for agricultural products grown in Europe.When products are bought in from non-EU countries then they want them to have to meet the same strict criteria that are required by European farmers.

Many farmers across Spain stopped work last Friday.The only exception was the citrus farmers who had to continue harvesting while the crops are at their peak.The Ministry for Agriculture is due to meet  this week to discuss the issues.