Portuguese farmers demand relief over rising production costs

Portuguese agricultural organizations are raising alarms regarding rising production costs and competitive disadvantages. The Confederation of National Agricultural Cooperatives and Agricultural Credit of Portugal (Confagri) has submitted a manifesto to the government, highlighting that Portuguese farmers face structurally unfavorable conditions compared to their Spanish counterparts. A primary concern is the discrepancy in agricultural diesel subsidies, which Confagri estimates is approximately 20 cents per liter.

In the Alentejo region, the Association of Farmers of the Left Bank of the Guadiana (APROSERPA) has met with the Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR) to demand solutions. APROSERPA is calling for an “automatic and predictable” stabilization mechanism for agricultural diesel to replace the current system of extraordinary measures that only arrive after price increases have already impacted farms. The association emphasized that the sector requires cost predictability to manage sowing, production, and livestock feeding effectively.

Beyond fuel costs, the agricultural sector is facing pressure from high production costs for dryland cereals, bureaucratic burdens, and uncertainty regarding future European financing.