Farmers bring Madrid to a standstill with mass tractor protest over EU farm policies

Hundreds of Spanish farmers and livestock breeders brought their protests to the heart of Madrid on Wednesday, advancing in convoys of tractors to denounce the EU–Mercosur trade agreement and the cuts planned for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The mobilisation turned some of the capital’s main avenues into a slow‑moving column of agricultural machinery, banners and regional flags.

Tractors from across Spain converge on Madrid

From first thing in the morning, tractors set off from different provinces, grouped into columns organised by farmers’ associations. The vehicles entered the Madrid region from various access points before converging on central streets, where police escorts and traffic diversions attempted to contain the disruption.

The protest had been called by Unión de Uniones and other primary sector groups, which claim that the countryside is facing a “perfect storm” of higher costs, shrinking support and new trade rules that undermine European production. For many of those driving the tractors, the journey to Madrid was long and costly, but they insist it is the only way to make their situation visible.

Rejection of Mercosur and “double standards”

One of the main targets of the demonstration is the draft trade pact between the European Union and the Mercosur bloc. Farmers fear that the agreement will open the door to large volumes of agricultural imports from South America produced under looser environmental, labour and animal‑health standards than those required in the EU.

Producer organisations argue that this creates a regime of “double standards”: European farmers must invest in complying with stricter rules on pesticides, animal welfare and climate emissions, while competing against products from countries where those obligations are less demanding or are monitored differently. They warn that, if the pact moves forward without safeguards, the consequences could be devastating for sectors such as beef, cereals, fruit and wine.

Alarm over future CAP funding

In addition to the Mercosur file, the demonstration also channels anger at the prospect of reduced funding under the next CAP programming period. Many small and medium‑sized farms depend on direct payments and rural development aid to stay afloat, and any cut in these envelopes is perceived as a direct threat to their survival.

Farmer representatives complain that, while public debate often focuses on environmental or animal‑welfare conditionality, too little attention is paid to the economic viability of farms. They argue that without sufficient income support, compliance with new green obligations becomes unmanageable, especially for family farms with limited financial and administrative capacity.

Costs up, farm‑gate prices stuck

Behind the slogans and banners lies a deeper economic squeeze. Over recent years, agricultural producers have absorbed steep rises in fuel, electricity, fertilisers, animal feed, machinery maintenance and insurance. By contrast, the prices they receive for milk, meat, grain, fruit or vegetables have in many cases barely moved.

This imbalance between production costs and farm‑gate prices, they say, is eroding margins to the point where many holdings operate at a loss or with incomes well below the average wage. Without a change in price‑setting along the food chain, farmers fear that the exodus from the countryside will continue and the long‑promised generational renewal will not materialise.

Restricted route and security controls

The Government Delegation in Madrid authorised the demonstration but imposed limits on the number of tractors allowed to enter the city and on the exact route they could follow. Organisers had initially aimed to mobilise around 1,500 vehicles, but the final permit capped the figure at roughly a third of that and laid down specific itineraries.

The different convoys were instructed to converge around Plaza de Colón late in the morning. From there, the march was to proceed first on foot and then with the tractors along Paseo de Recoletos and Paseo del Prado, finishing in front of the Ministry of Agriculture. Authorities argued that restricting the route and vehicle numbers was necessary to guarantee safety and maintain a minimum level of mobility in the city centre.

Traffic disruption and city impact

As the tractors progressed towards the centre, traffic in several districts slowed to a crawl. Road closures, police cordons and diversions affected both private vehicles and bus routes, forcing many commuters to modify their journeys or switch to the metro and commuter rail network.

Businesses located along the route reported a mixture of inconvenience and understanding: some complained about the fall in customer footfall during the hours of the march, while others expressed solidarity with the protesters’ demands, noting that rural activity sustains many supply chains that end in urban supermarkets, markets and restaurants.

Key demands from the primary sector

Beyond the specific complaints about Mercosur and CAP envelopes, farm organisations used the rally to present a broader list of demands. These include effective enforcement of laws that prohibit the sale of products below production cost, greater transparency in contracts between producers, industry and distribution, and measures to reduce the paperwork associated with EU and national regulations.

They also call for stronger border controls to ensure that imported goods meet the same standards required of European producers, more support for young people wishing to enter farming, and investment in rural infrastructure and services to make life in small towns more attractive.

Part of a wider European movement

The tractor demonstration in Madrid is not an isolated event. Over the past months, similar mobilisations have taken place in other EU countries, where farmers have blocked roads and surrounded government buildings to draw attention to their grievances. Shared themes include concern about climate‑related regulations, frustration with bureaucracy and fear of losing competitiveness in global markets.

Spanish farm leaders emphasise that the protest is a warning, not an end point. They have already signalled that, if there is no progress in negotiations with national and EU authorities, new actions will be organised in the coming weeks. For them, the message is clear: without profitable farms, they argue, Europe risks weakening its food security, its rural landscapes and a way of life that has shaped the continent for generations.