Farmers´ Union threatens to take to the road

MAJORCA's Farmers' Union is holding a General Assembly this coming 9th November to ask its members to ballot on whether or not there should be organised protests to demand subsidised fuel prices from the central government ministry for Agriculture and Fisheries. Gabriel Torrens, secretary of the Island's branch of the Union, said yesterday that demands will include the elimination of a special fuel tax which farmers have to pay, the reduction of VAT from 16 to 7 percent in fuel purchases and more freedom for gasoline stations to reduce prices. The secretary added that from now until 9 November, the Union is going to maintain close contact with its members around Majorca to keep a finger on the pulse about what action will be demanded to combat the soaring cost of fuel that is cutting ever more deeply into the pockets of the industry. To add weight to the farmers' case, Torrens explained that as much as 30 percent of the price of fuel which they currently pay, amounts to the tax for which the members now want government to take responsibility. He also complained that “nothing has happened” since the Majorcan branch of the Union asked Ramon Socias, the central government delegate in the Balearics, to take their case to Madrid. Torrens continued by saying that the rise in the cost of fuel is “very worrying” because the prices of cereal crops and meat have been at a standstill for twenty years but the cost of production has continued to rise. Union co-ordinator Margalida Estelrich said she believed the government were procrastinating, but the way that fuel prices have shot up will make it necessary for the ministry to provide fuel for agriculture on a subsidised basis.