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Angry Belgian Farmers’ March: Roadblocks, Manure Dumped on Streets

© REUTERS / Francois LenoirTyres are set on fire to block roads leading to a highway during a protest by Belgian dairy farmers against low milk price in Battice near Liege, Belgiu
Tyres are set on fire to block roads leading to a highway during a protest by Belgian dairy farmers against low milk price in Battice near Liege, Belgiu - Sputnik International
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Belgian farmers started a series of large-scale protests across the entire country, Belgian newspaper Le Soir reported.

Similar to their French counterparts, Belgian farmers are protesting against low prices for milk, pork and other products, Le Soir said.

Farmers blocked roads and entrances to grocery stores. In one protest, a group of farmers blocked a highway using their tractors, significantly slowing down the traffic. Another group of farmers dumped a large pile of manure in front of a factory and burned tires.

"Everywhere in Europe the prices are too low, and that has to be stopped," said Lieven De Stoppeleire, a Belgian dairy farmer, as cited by AP.

According to De Stoppeleire, he is paid 26 euro cents per one liter of milk, but he needs 35 cents to break even.

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In France, farmers plan to continue their protests. Last week, protests by French farmers turned violent with protesters setting up blockades and dumping manure on the streets. French farmers demand an increase in market prices for their goods and financial assistance from the government.

The decrease in food prices is partially caused by the oversupply of farming products in EU markets. In the past, the EU would export much of its farming products to Russia, but the Russian food embargo has caused the overproduction of food.

Last year, the Russian government banned imports of certain food products coming from a number of European countries in response to anti-Russian sanctions imposed earlier by the United States and the EU. The list of products, first prohibited to be imported in Russia in August 2014, comprises meat, poultry, fish, seafood, dairy products, fruit and vegetables.    

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