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Murcia farmers to protest with tractors on January 29
Water shortages, environmental rules and rising costs drive a new wave of protests
Farmers in the Region of Murcia have confirmed they will once again mobilise with tractor protests and symbolic actions on Thursday January 29, as frustration across the agricultural sector continues to build.The main farming organisations in the region, Asaja, Coag and UPA, officially announced this Tuesday that they will take part in a day of protest that will include tractor demonstrations, symbolic road blockades and the distribution of agricultural produce. The aim, they say, is to underline what is at stake not just for farmers, but also for consumers.
The protest follows similar tractor demonstrations held back in 2024, when Murcia farmers blocked roads and distributed produce to draw attention to rising costs, water shortages and regulatory pressure
The January 29 protest forms part of a wider national mobilisation under the slogan “Sobran los motivos” (“There are more than enough reasons”), with demonstrations planned simultaneously in several autonomous communities. According to the three organisations, the sector is facing an increasingly “difficult situation”, marked by rising production costs, regulatory pressure and ongoing uncertainty about the future.
Water remains one of the most sensitive issues in Murcia. The defence of the Tagus-Segura Water Transfer has again been placed at the heart of the protest, alongside concerns over the Mar Menor Law and plans to close overexploited aquifers from 2027 (meaning that more water will be taken out than can naturally be replaced.) Farmers are calling for a review of ecological flow rules for the Upper Tagus and the operating rules of the aqueduct, insisting decisions should be based on “strictly technical criteria”. They also warn that unaffordable water prices could make irrigation for food production impossible.
Another major concern is the planned closure of aquifers, which the organisations say could leave many farms without viable alternatives. For this reason, they are demanding a moratorium on the application of the Water Framework Directive until alternative water sources are guaranteed, and that hydrological planning ensures enough water for irrigation and so-called social irrigation projects.
Beyond water, the list of demands stretches from Europe to the regional level. Farmers are critical of proposed reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy and trade agreements such as Mercosur, while also pointing to national issues including bureaucracy, agricultural insurance and the rising cost of inputs. At regional level, they want changes to the Mar Menor Law that allow environmental protection to coexist with farming activity.
The organisations are also calling for stronger enforcement of the Food Chain Law, including a properly funded regional regulatory body, clearer studies on production costs and price formation, and simpler regulations to reduce paperwork. Other demands include better plant health controls, the use of drones in agriculture, tailored insurance policies and a professional agricultural licence.
Asaja, Coag and UPA say previous protests have already led to agreements with both regional and central governments, and they believe collective action can do so again. They are urging widespread participation on January 29 and calling on all those who support a strong rural economy based on family and professional farms to join the mobilisation.
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