The UGT and CCOO trade unions have called for a strike of rural workers in Extremadura that began today and is scheduled to last two more days.
Extremadura is currently in the middle of its stone fruit harvesting campaign. This week the volumes are already starting to be significant in the major production areas, so the strike could have a significant impact on these perishable products.
"Producers were starting to feel confident that the sector could recover this year because the market situation is good and there is a normal production of fruit, especially considering the serious losses they've had in previous campaigns due to low prices," stated the agricultural organization UPA-UCE, which rejects this strike.
The organization points out that the "good market situation this year together with a standardized fruit production", made it possible for farmers to rely on a recovery of the sector, especially considering the "serious losses they have had in previous campaigns due to low prices."
"Now, the fruit sector is threatened by this strike in the middle of the harvesting campaign and the high temperatures there are these days, which are forcing producers to collect the fruits in a very few days to guarantee their quality," stated Ignacio Huertas. "This strike can be catastrophic for many fruit producers of Extremadura," he added.
UPA-UCE has asked the unions to call off the strike and to continue with the negotiation of the camp agreement.
Source: Europa Press