Lettuce producers belonging to the National Peasant Federation (FNC), intermittently blocked Route 1 in the city of Ita to protest against the smuggling of lettuce.
Producers are forced to sell their products at ridiculously low prices due to a lack of markets and the illegal entry of vegetables, one of the workers told NoticiasPy.
"We are mobilizing to demand the authorities pay attention to small producers, because they haven't established any programs to place our product," he said.
He also said that around 200,000 dozen lettuce will go to waste because they can't sell their products in the domestic market.
"We sell a dozen for 2,000 Guaranies, but the supermarkets sell it at 1,200 Guaranies because they sell smuggled products," complained the producer.
The protestor also said that they would meet with the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Denis Lichi, on Wednesday in order to find a solution to the problem.
They hope that the authorities can look for mechanisms to support the national production.
Source: ultimahora.com