Tractors to roll out in Larissa as farmers protest

Farmers in Larissa, central Greece, are planning to roll out their tractors at the Platykambos junction of the Athens-Thessaloniki national road on Monday in protest at cotton prices, which they complain are too low for them to cover production costs.

The farmers are demanding a meeting with Agriculture and Food Minister Makis Voridis to discuss their grievances.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Larissa-based federation of farmers’ unions said that prices are 20 percent lower than last year.

What the farmers want is a price “which reflects the excellent quality of the cotton, covers their production costs and leaves a sustainable income to cover their needs,” the statement said.