Spain's main opposition party, the Popular Party, has demanded an urgent emergency aid plan for farmers facing rising fuel and fertilizer costs caused by the war in Iran during a meeting in Madrid.
Alberto Nadal, deputy secretary of economy for the Popular Party, and Carmen Crespo, the party's agriculture coordinator, met with leaders of Spain's major farming unions and agricultural cooperatives to back their call for relief and upcoming demonstrations.
The Popular Party called on the Spanish government to revise diesel subsidies upward and use all available European Union regulations to cushion agricultural producers against soaring energy prices. Nadal noted that his party had warned from the start that phasing out fuel subsidies while market conditions remained volatile was a mistake.
Rising costs threaten harvests
Popular Party sources confirmed that the party will support upcoming farmer mobilizations against high production costs. The party urged the government to utilize full European Union regulatory margins to compensate farmers for up to 70 percent of their increased fuel and fertilizer expenditures.
Union representatives and party leaders demanded an agile payment system so that agricultural workers do not have to pay funds upfront. The demand comes during a crucial period for Spanish agriculture, with cereal sowing and grape harvesting under way, fruit and vegetable picking active, and the olive harvest set to begin in a few weeks.
The meeting brought together representatives from Asaja, COAG, UPA, and agricultural cooperative federations. These organizations represent thousands of small and commercial farmers across Spain, where agricultural production forms a core pillar of the rural economy.
Drought and fertilizer regulation demands
The opposition party also insisted that ministers reverse their opposition to introducing flexibility into the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. The party argued that modifying the carbon tariff rules is necessary to bring down international fertilizer prices for local growers.
Additionally, the Popular Party called for an immediate meeting of Spain's national drought committee to address persistent rainfall shortages. The party further backed temporary approvals for phytosanitary products, matching measures adopted by other European countries, to ensure Spanish farmers can compete fairly while maintaining food safety standards.
Government talks with food industry
The meeting coincided with official talks held by the Spanish government to evaluate the economic impact of the conflict in Iran. Minister of Economy Carlos Cuerpo and Minister of Agriculture Luis Planas met with representatives from the food industry, cereal traders, and animal feed manufacturers.
Food industry representatives urged the executive branch to extend the current agricultural aid package, which is set to expire on September 30. Planas is scheduled to meet on Tuesday with Asaja, COAG, UPA, Unión de Uniones, and Cooperativas Agroalimentarias de España to discuss further support measures.
