Farmers intend to protest for a second time on Thursday, again taking to their tractors and rallying from Ta’ Qali to Valletta.

Organised by Għaqda Bdiewa Attivi and with the backing of various other organisations related to food production, the protest will seek to build on the success of farmers’ first protest, held two weeks ago.

That event – farmers’ first organised protest in a generation – was part of a Europe-wide protest movement by EU farmers, who say they are being squeezed out of business by overly stringent European regulations and free trade deals that open up EU markets to cheaper foreign-grown fruits and vegetables.

In a statement announcing Thursday’s protest, farmers said that they will also be presenting the government with various proposals which would help them weather the impact of such EU plans.

Thursday’s event is scheduled to begin at 11.45am and will see farmers drive through Attard, the Mrieħel bypass, Marsa-Ħamrun bypass, Aldo Moro Road, Blata l-Bajda and Floriana before ending at Triq l-Għassara tal-Għeneb, along Valletta’s waterfront.

There, the vehicles will be parked and a press conference held at around 2pm.