The Organisation of Farmers and Cattlemen (COAG) is hoping that today will see the biggest ever gathering of tractors in Andalucía as they plan to converge on Jaén to protest about the state of the olive oil industry.
The organisers are expecting as many as 4,000 tractors and SUV’s to participate in the ‘tractorcade’, converging on plaza Jaén por la Paz.
Protesters will be setting off from Andújar, Mengíbar, Porcuna, Alcaudete, Úbeda, Baeza, Martos and Torredelcampo, following four specified routes:
- Porcuna to Jaén on the A-306 and A-316, and from Alcaudete to Jaén on the A-316.
- Andújar to Jaén on the A-311.
- Mengíbar to Jaén on the N-323
- Úbeda to Jaén on the A-316.
COAG says that the olive oil industry has suffered losses of around €600 million so far this year and that the problem is not the result of the economic crisis but is caused by a small group who control the industry and therefore control the prices.