Spanish truckers disrupt food supplies to protest fuel prices

Spanish dairy producers are halting production as a four-day truckers’ protest over fuel prices started disrupting supply chains across the country.

The supply of goods needed to make dairy products has “been interrupted” by the protests, as has distribution to retail chains, dairy industry federation Fenil said in a statement Thursday. Supplies of fish, fruit and vegetables have been impacted by the demonstrations, according to local media reports.

Although the main truck drivers’ unions are not taking part in the protests, which started March 14, these are the first major demonstrations Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez faces since the war in Ukraine started propelling already high energy prices to new records. The protests have seen drivers block roads and set up pickets.

Farmers, who are being impacted by high diesel and feed costs, are set to demonstrate March 20 in Madrid.

On Thursday, Transportation Minister Raquel Sanchez downplayed the importance of the protests, saying that it’s organized by small groups with ties to far-right political groups. She said the government has deployed 15,000 police to protect truckers not protesting and guarantee the distribution of goods. 

Prime Minister Sanchez has pledged that his government will pass measures on March 29 to reduce soaring energy prices and mitigate inflation, already at its highest in close to 36 years.