Dimitris
Well-Known Member
Also something different.... It is not related to Alexandros but it is one more uprising of greeks, mostly because of the current problems with the economic crisis...
The greek farmers are taking action during the last days. More than 3000 tractors, in all over Greece, are blocking the National Motorway at various junctions, but also other main roads of Greece. At the area of Tempi, a bit north of Larisa, about 1500 tractors have blocked the Athens - Thessaloniki national motorway, and the only way to go is from other small roads and routes that exist in the area. On other occasions, the railway has also been blocked, and the farmers in Crete are also occupying the local airport!
Farmers blocking the streets is not something new in Greece, the difference now with the events of the 90s, is that it seems that the farmers are not that much controlled any more from the "traditional" syndicalists and the various farmer syndicalist groups that exist.
The current economic crisis has created big problems to the farmers as the prices but also the demand of various agricultural products have dropped significantly. Wheat is now not being sold at all, and its price is around 0.18 cent per Kg, instead of 0.50 that was last year this time, maize price is about 0.09 cent, and there is basically no demand at all, cotton is also experiencing similar problems with its price in the range of 0.25 cent per Kg... Onions are having similar problems, with a price of 0.15 cent per Kg, and a cost of production of 0.20 cent per Kg minimum. There is also no demand at all for olive oil, and its price has dropped around 2 euro per litre ...
An addition to all the above is the increasing production costs, especially the ones of 2008. Fertilizer prices increased by 120%, you all know about diesel prices and how high they were last year, the government also decided to cut cheap diesel for farmers (they were getting it in half price up to now) and is giving them a small compentation instead, which is really nothing... EU subsidies do exist, they help a bit but not really solve the problem, as the expenses are so hudge that this money is just not enough...
On top of all, the Agricultural Bank of Greece, is not giving that many loans for farming any more, in fear of not being paid back by the farmers ...
Therefore they demand:
* No interest loan for all farmers, up to 500 euro per hectare
* A minimum price for all agricultural products to be introduced
* Access to cheap diesel as it used to happen
* Governmental control of the fertilizer companies and the big multi nationals, because of the hudge increases on fertilizer and agrochemical prizes
* Increase of VAT return fund
The greek farmers are taking action during the last days. More than 3000 tractors, in all over Greece, are blocking the National Motorway at various junctions, but also other main roads of Greece. At the area of Tempi, a bit north of Larisa, about 1500 tractors have blocked the Athens - Thessaloniki national motorway, and the only way to go is from other small roads and routes that exist in the area. On other occasions, the railway has also been blocked, and the farmers in Crete are also occupying the local airport!
Farmers blocking the streets is not something new in Greece, the difference now with the events of the 90s, is that it seems that the farmers are not that much controlled any more from the "traditional" syndicalists and the various farmer syndicalist groups that exist.
The current economic crisis has created big problems to the farmers as the prices but also the demand of various agricultural products have dropped significantly. Wheat is now not being sold at all, and its price is around 0.18 cent per Kg, instead of 0.50 that was last year this time, maize price is about 0.09 cent, and there is basically no demand at all, cotton is also experiencing similar problems with its price in the range of 0.25 cent per Kg... Onions are having similar problems, with a price of 0.15 cent per Kg, and a cost of production of 0.20 cent per Kg minimum. There is also no demand at all for olive oil, and its price has dropped around 2 euro per litre ...
An addition to all the above is the increasing production costs, especially the ones of 2008. Fertilizer prices increased by 120%, you all know about diesel prices and how high they were last year, the government also decided to cut cheap diesel for farmers (they were getting it in half price up to now) and is giving them a small compentation instead, which is really nothing... EU subsidies do exist, they help a bit but not really solve the problem, as the expenses are so hudge that this money is just not enough...
On top of all, the Agricultural Bank of Greece, is not giving that many loans for farming any more, in fear of not being paid back by the farmers ...
Therefore they demand:
* No interest loan for all farmers, up to 500 euro per hectare
* A minimum price for all agricultural products to be introduced
* Access to cheap diesel as it used to happen
* Governmental control of the fertilizer companies and the big multi nationals, because of the hudge increases on fertilizer and agrochemical prizes
* Increase of VAT return fund