Agricultural protests erupt in Castilla-La Mancha and Castilla y León

Agricultural and livestock producers in Castilla-La Mancha and Castilla y León have launched a series of protests and demands targeting both regional and national governments. In Toledo, between 1,500 and 2,000 demonstrators, supported by dozens of tractors, gathered to protest rising production costs, fuel prices, and the complexities of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Protesters expressed frustration over water management, wildlife damage, and bureaucratic burdens, with ASAJA regional president José María Fresneda warning that these mobilizations are “the beginning of a cycle of mobilizations.”

Political leaders have responded to the unrest. Paco Núñez, president of the People's Party (PP) in Castilla-La Mancha, positioned his party as “the party of the countryside,” calling for fundamental changes in agricultural policies to ensure profitability and water availability. Meanwhile, in Castilla y León, agricultural organizations have reached an agreement with the regional government to request greater flexibility from the central Ministry of Agriculture regarding CAP requirements to better adapt to local farming needs.

In addition to the protests, the Castilla-La Mancha government has moved forward with legislative updates, submitting a draft of the Agri-Food Quality Law to public information for a 20-day period to allow for citizen observations.