Last Monday, March 14, the strike called by the Platform for the Defense of the Freight Transport Sector motivated by the high price of fuels. The stoppage of activity by truck drivers throughout Spain and the blocking of roads has led the dairy industry to temporarily suspend its activity from today, and other sectors denounce problems of supply of products and raw materials.
The Federation of Dairy Industries warned yesterday through a statement that it is “doomed to suspend its processing activity” because the factories do not receive the necessary supplies for the processing of milk, and cannot guarantee its subsequent commercial distribution.
Various agricultural and livestock associations have also shown his concern about the protracted situation of this strike and its consequences, which was not expected to have a great follow-up by carriers, but which in recent days is even causing some episodes of violence.
Also the Spanish Federation of Food and Drink Industries (FIAB) has denounced the problems that are occurring in various parts of the country due to blockades at strategic points of the highways, hindering the normal operation of the food chainand that endangers the supply of various food businesses, a problem that adds to the situation resulting from the war in Russia and Ukraine.
Of particular concern is the supply of raw materials and the most delicate and perishablessuch as fresh agricultural foods or milk itself, which spoil very quickly if the logistics chain of collection, processing, storage and distribution is not properly maintained. Mercamadridthe largest food distribution platform in the country, is registering a decrease in the usual merchandise.
Fenil demands that the right to mobility and safety of the truck drivers who do not support the strike, who suffer “the helplessness and impotence in the face of the actions of the so-called information pickets that have blocked their activity.” As well animal feed and livestock industries They denounce the seriousness of the situation they face, especially because “minimum services have not been established to ensure the continuity, at least partial, of legally essential services.”
Faced with this situation, the FIAB asks the Government for “coordination between the Ministries of Agriculture, Interior and Transport to reach an urgent solution to avoid shortage and the consequent paralysis of the activity”.
According to the EFE agency, the Minister of Agriculture, louis planeshas recognized that this so-called transport strike is causing “some punctual disruption” in the food chain, but calls for serenity and ensures that normal supply is assured. For her part, the Minister of Transport Rachel Sanchezhas stated that the Executive “will ensure that truck drivers who want to work can do so”.
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