The farmers who demonstrated yesterday at the entrances to Port Castelló managed to get the president of the Port Authority, Rubén Ibáñez, to come down to talk to them and commit to reviewing the bonuses on the import of agricultural products from third countries.

Eliminating them, because they are considered a determining factor of unfair competition, is one of the objectives of this calendar of “Valencian-style” protests that were started yesterday by the Valencian Farmers Association (AVA-ASAJA), ASAJA Alicante, LA UNIÓ Llauradora i Ramadera, the Peasant Coordinator of the Valencian Country (CCPV-COAG) and the Union of Small Farmers and Ranchers (UPA-PV).

For Carles Peris, secretary of LA UNIÓ, and protagonist of last week’s protests when he was evicted by agents of the National Police, Ibáñez’s commitment is a small milestone and he urges the president of the Port Authority of Valencia (APV) , Mar Chao, to “also prepare to eliminate them” next Thursday the 22nd – when they will protest in front of the Valencian port.

Sources from the APV explain that “in the port of Valencia we have the general bonuses published in the BOE.” The deductions that the agricultural associations protest are established by the Government although it is in the hands of the ports to apply them; The current ones have been in force since 2022. For example, in Valencia, according to the annex published by the APV, the bonuses for fruits and vegetables in refrigerated containers are 30%.

Likewise, the president of Port Castelló pointed out that they are “open to dialogue” and to modify the bonus, which for citrus is 40% in this port, 10% more than in Valencia. As reported by EFE, Ibáñez has also told them that a resolution is planned to be presented so that its modification can be studied by 2025.

The protests of the Valencian agricultural associations have focused on the ports of Castelló, the mobilization consummated yesterday, and Valencia, which will have its turn next Thursday. In both cases, the request to eliminate bonuses on food products – when there is no deficit in local products, farmers explain – is a demand. But what is currently being rewarded? In Port Castelló the bonuses, contemplated to encourage maritime traffic and services that “contribute to economic and social development” range from 40% for tourist cruises to different percentages depending on the merchandise.

For example, the Castellón port offers a 25% discount on potato traffic and the same percentage on cereals such as barley or corn. Citrus fruits and frozen fish are the agri-food products with the highest bonus, 40%, both on boarding and unloading. Likewise, at the exit, products such as tiles and unglazed slabs and tiles are discounted at 40%, capital for a province that industrially makes a living from ceramics. Also the unloading of materials such as kaolin or mineral sand, basic in the tile industry, has a 5% deduction.

Meanwhile, in the Port of Valencia cruises also have a 40% discount; In addition, the boarding and disembarking (excluding transit) of automotive components have a 20% bonus; Cereals in containers, fruits and vegetables in containers but refrigerated, as well as frozen fish have a 30% bonus.

There are also some peculiarities, such as the loading and unloading (excluding transit) of aluminum in the Port of Gandía, which is discounted with 20% or the loading of sodium sulfate in big bags (large bags, used for waste) in the Port. of Gandía, to which 30% is also applied.