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The protests, which started spontaneously on Tuesday after
spilling over from other EU countries, are backed by the
country's three main farmers' associations.
Dozens of tractors surrounded the regional parliament in
Barcelona after their drivers spent the night in the city
centre.
Farmers disrupted traffic in smaller cities all over the
country, including central Avila, Vitoria in the north and
Antequera in the south.
Spanish farmers have joined their peers from Germany, France,
Italy and Belgium, where protests have sometimes turned violent.
Farmers across the EU claim the rules to protect the environment
make them less competitive than farmers in other regions. They
also say they are choked by taxes and red tape.
Large amounts of imports from Ukraine, for which the EU has
waived quotas and duties since Russia's invasion, and renewed
negotiations to conclude a trade deal between the EU and South
American bloc Mercosur have fanned discontent about unfair
competition.
The Spanish Interior Ministry said police detained 12 people
during Wednesday's protests that included blockades of several
large goods distribution centres. The government and retail
associations do not expect imminent food shortages.
The FENADISMER transport federation said the blockades were
affecting more than 80,000 trucks.
Since Tuesday, Spanish farmers have blocked highways and ports
in Malaga and Castellon and boulevards in Barcelona and
elsewhere.
The protests prompted the government to distribute an additional
269 million euros ($290 million) in subsidies for as many as
140,000 farmers and for the European Commission, the EU
executive, to scrap a plan to halve pesticide use in the bloc.
(Reporting by Inti Landauro; Editing by Nick Macfie)
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