Farmer protests have erupted across the world as they seek changes in government policies on a range of issues.
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In Europe — as well as recent protests in France, Germany and Belgium — the unrest has spread to Spain, Greece and Poland.
And in India, protests turned ugly when the rallies were met by riot police firing tear gas.
In Spain on January 21, hundreds of farmers drove their tractors into central Madrid as part of ongoing protests against European Union and local farming policies and to demand measures to alleviate production cost hikes.
Madrid, Spain. Photo: EPA/JP GANDUAL
After two weeks of protests, about 500 tractors and agricultural vehicles surrounded the capital on a march towards the Ministry of Agriculture in downtown Madrid.
Athens, Greece. Photo: EPA/Alexandros Beltes
In Greece, farmers held an overnight rally in Athens, attended by an estimated 6500 protesters, as well as more than 160 tractors and farm machinery.
In addition, farmers from all over the country were transported to the capital in 112 buses.
The Polish-Ukrainian border crossing, Poland.
Polish farmers blocked the traffic during a protest in front of the Polish-Ukrainian border crossing in Dorohusk, south-eastern Poland, on February 20.
Hundreds of trucks waited in long queues to leave the country.
The ongoing protests, expected to last 30 days, are against the recent decision of the European Commission to extend duty-free trade with Ukraine until 2025, and the implementation of the 'Green Deal' proposed by the European Union.
Indian farmers protest at Shambhu Haryana-Punjab border point, 250km from Delhi.
Police in India have fired tear gas at hundreds of farmers and their supporters who were marching to Delhi to pressure the government to honour a 2021 promise to pay them more for crops.
Security in the capital was tightened after farm unions from northern breadbasket states called for protests a day after talks with ministers aimed at securing minimum prices for a range of crops failed.
It’s the latest in a series of similar protests that began more than two years ago and comes months ahead of national elections in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will seek a third term, with farmers forming an influential voting bloc.
Farm unions are seeking guarantees, backed by law, to provide more state support or buy crops at a minimum price.
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