'Nobody listens to us, people are forced to take road' - Peruvian farmers block road in Piura during national strike due to falling rice prices

"Peruvian rice producers blocked several sections of the Panamericana Norte highway in the Piura region this Monday, as part of the national agrarian strike called to demand that the Government declare a state of emergency for the agricultural sector due to the economic crisis they are facing. The images show the blockade carried out with the help of tree branches, which were used to prevent vehicle traffic. The protesters argued with police officers and denounced the drop in the prices of their crops. "We are gathered here to demand that the prices of the products we plant, such as rice, corn, legumes, cotton, and all the other crops we plant, are too low. It doesn't compensate for what we invest," said farmer Jose Luis Ancajima. He explained that producers sell a sack of rice for 50 soles (equivalent to around 14.69 dollars), while the fertilisers they use can cost up to 130 soles (38 dollars), affecting their profit margin. "The Government is being asked to please become aware and do the work of negotiating with the millers so that they can demand a fair price, so we can cover our expenses," he added. The protesters indicated that they were forced to block the roads because the Peruvian authorities do not address the needs of the agricultural sector, as they have also suffered an increase in the price of urea, one of the main fertilisers in agriculture. "For the farmers, for the transporters, and for the people who need this government and the State, no one listens to us, no one pays attention to us. So people are forced to take to the road," declared transporter Antonio Bautista. The traffic restriction was recorded at strategic points of the road network, including the Piura-Catacaos route, at the height of El Trebol, as well as in Tambogrande, Las Lomas, and the La Manuela bridge, on the Sullana-Talara section. Agrarian leaders indicated that the national strike continues due to the lack of responses from the Ministry of Agrarian Development, so traffic in various parts of the region remains interrupted."

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