Farmers planning further protests after Tesco depot blockade

Further protests are planned this week as farmers blockaded a Tesco distribution centre as part of the ongoing disruption over farmgate milk prices.

Around 70 lorries were prevented from entering the depot as tractors had blockaded the entrances to the buildings in Bristol.

The protest lasted 3 hours, according to Farmers' for Action, who said Tesco had agreed a meeting with the group which will take place on Wednesday.

The protesting farmers moved on from the Tesco depot and targeted Farm Foods in Avonmouth.

"The protest at Farm Foods DC at Avonmouth lasted until 1 am when it was felt by all we had delivered a very strong message," said David Handley, chairman of Farmers for Action.

"The decision has been taken that if we have heard nothing from Farm Foods by the middle of the week, we will have no alternative but to return to this site and also visit sites in the Midlands, North West and possibly Scotland.

"We reiterate to all Farm Foods management, all you have to do is pick a telephone up, we would far rather sit down and have dialogue than resort to peaceful protest. So in the words of one of great leaders 'pull your finger out!'.

"We in the Working Group have to move at speed to find a mechanism that prevents the need for this kind of activity going forward and from Farmers For Action we give you that commitment that we will see it through until the end and hopefully the dairy farmers that are left in our industry will at least be getting a sustainable milk price going forward.

"Further protests are planned this week, our friends up North are looking at the food service sector, others are looking at retailers within the SW area."