Tractors hitting the streets in Thessaly

Farmers in the central Greek region of Thessaly will be driving their tractors out into the streets of Larissa, Farsala and Highway E65 near Karditsa on Monday, kicking off what has become a customary few weeks of strikes around this time of year.

“The tractors will be coming out in Thessaly, starting the dance of mobilizations with the mass participation of farmers from the region so that the government responds to our demands immediately,” said unionist Rizos Maroudas.

Farmers are protesting the high cost of production, increasing pressure on debtors with bank account and asset seizures, and also the low price of cotton.

Their decision to mobilize came after a meeting on Friday with Agricultural Development Minister Stavros Arachovitis, who dismissed the farmers’ demands as “somewhat excessive.”