Tractors, the protest invades the Autostrada del Sole: “Ready to enter Rome”

After Germany and France, the tractor protest is also spreading in Italy

The farmers' protest is also spreading in Italy, like a wave that started from Germany and France and does not seem to stop to counter an excessively penalizing European policy, oriented as it is towards the Green Deal. And Italian farmers and breeders reduced to the limit by exaggerated production costs and low wages will make their voices heard more and more by parading their tractors through the streets and squares. Rallies are planned for next Tuesday 30th January in various areas of Lombardy, Tuscany and Sardinia by the 'Riscatto Agricolo' movement, while on Wednesday 31st in Verona another group is organizing a large gathering on the occasion of the inauguration of Fieragricola, the sector's reference fair which is held in the fairgrounds.

“We do not feel represented by agricultural organizations, there are issues that concern European politics but many must also be addressed at a national level, such as the recognition of a production cost, which has been on hold since 2019″ Giorgio Bissoli, a contractor from Verona, spokesperson for a grassroots movement, which responds to the slogan 'United we win', told Adnkronos . A protest therefore that goes beyond the membership of each farmer or breeder to sector associations such as Coldiretti, Confagricoltura, Cia, Copagri.

Last Tuesday Remo Roncari, 52 years old, a Venetian raw materials trader, took part in a demonstration also in Verona near the fruit and vegetable market which took place peacefully. The farmers camped near the fruit and vegetable market for two days, stayed all night and left the afternoon of the following day. “We arrived with 400 tractors, there were a thousand of us, – he reports reached on the phone – if we don't have answers we will move forward but we don't want to set up roadblocks, we always ask for authorisations. In my WhatsApp group there are around 900 people.” In fact, these are groups of hundreds of farmers who interact with each other and self-convene via social media in the various provinces, from north to south.

“The market is changing due to the massive imports of agricultural products such as corn which are driving down the prices of our production while production costs have not been reduced and farmers cannot cope – explains Roncari again – and what also What makes us nervous is that the consumer price has not dropped.” Taxes, from IMU to Irpef, also weigh on agricultural incomes and the threat looms that the subsidy on fuel may be removed, according to what those directly involved report, as happened with their French and German colleagues. Among the various demands is also that of containing wildlife that causes enormous damage such as, for example, nutria in Emilia Romagna.

Steven Tuffi, 27 years old, is the owner of a farm with dairy cows in Frosinone. He took part in a three-day demonstration in the square of Frosinone with a procession in the city in recent days with a large participation with around 200 tractors. “We are fighting for fair remuneration which is hindered by European rules, such as the one on the obligation not to cultivate 4% of the land, but not only. – claims the agricultural entrepreneur – We want to protect Italian products and dispel the opinion that farmers pollute when in fact we are the custodians of the environment. We are taking to the streets without union flags because the associations we belong to have failed to achieve certain objectives and we are annoyed. Milk that comes from abroad is sold as Italian and this is intolerable, furthermore the supply chain makes money but very little gets to the producer.”

As for politics, Tuffi states: “we are open to dialogue with the ministry and with Europe but we must achieve certain results. We are united and want to make our voice heard on municipal, provincial and also national levels. We hold peaceful demonstrations and dissociate ourselves from those who can cause harm to the population. But we are willing to move forward because we want to safeguard our companies and our families.”

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