Spanish agricultural unions Asaja, Coag and UPA announced immediate nationwide mobilizations on Friday 18 September 2026. The protests respond to a 48% surge in fuel prices and a 30% rise in fertilizer costs following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
The sector faces the end of government fuel subsidies on 30 September, alongside competition from the EU-Mercosur trade deal. With 35% of fertilizer raw materials blocked, costs now exceed the usual quarter of total expenditure for cereal farm operations.
These actions coincide with critical cereal sowing and grape harvest seasons across 4.5 million hectares. This escalation continues the European agricultural revolt started in 2023, as farmers demand stability amidst the ongoing international energy crisis.