Farmers in Greece are desperate for additional financial aid to cope with surging energy prices that are pushing up their costs for fuel and fertilizer, posing a sudden threat to their livelihoods. Farmers stage protests with tractors blocking the traffic on a. national highway motorway of Thessaloniki-Halkidiki outside major city Thessaloniki, on Thursday afternoon (February 17).

The farmers demand the abolition of the electricity price adjustment clause, which reflects changes in the price of oil and natural gas imports, as well as lower fuel taxes. Greek farmers say they are determined to shut down all the country’s major highways to protest rising energy costs.

Sound bite 01:33 Thessaloniki farmers association representative Charalambos Dimarchopoulos: "We are out to the streets because the situation has reached a boiling point. Our problems are major production costs, the cost of energy is soaring, we see increases in tariffs over 200%. Diesel has exceeded 1.5 euros. I think many of farmers can't go out and cultivate this year with surging energy prices that are pushing up costs for fuel and fertilizers. We will see a shortage of many agricultural products this year for sure, due to the unbearable costs. Food shortages will be apparent in a few months from now."

As all of Europe is facing rising energy costs, Greek farmers are demanding subsidies to reduce their fuel costs and an end to the electricity price adjustment cost. Greece has among the highest taxes on fuel in the 27-nation European Union, accounting for about two-thirds of the price

Farmers in Greece are desperate for additional financial aid to cope with surging energy prices that are pushing up their costs for fuel and fertilizer, posing a sudden threat to their livelihoods. Farmers stage protests with tractors blocking the traffic on national highway motorway of Thessaloniki-Halkidiki outside major city of Thessaloniki, on Thursday afternoon (17/02) .

The farmers demand the abolition of the electricity price adjustment clause, which reflect changes in the price of oil and natural gas imports, as well as lower fuel taxes. Greek farmers say they are determined to shut down all the country’s major highways to protest rising energy costs.

Sound bite 01:33 Thessaloniki farmers association representative Charalambos Dimarchopoulos: "We are out to the streets because situation has reached a boiling point. Our problems are major production costs, the cost of energy is soaring, we see increases in tariffs over 200%. Diesel has exceeded 1.5 euros. I think many of farmers can't go out and cultivate this year with surging energy prices that are pushing up costs for fuel and fertilizers. We will see a shortage of many agricultural products this year for sure, due to the unbearable costs. Food shortages will be apparent in a few months from now."

As all of Europe is facing rising energy costs, Greek farmers are demanding subsidies to reduce their fuel costs and an end to the electricity price adjustment cost. Greece has among the highest taxes on fuel in the 27-nation European Union, accounting for about two-thirds of the price