Farmers in Karditsa set the tempo on Monday for nationwide action by Greek agricultural producers protesting high taxes, rising fuel costs, crippling social security contributions and seizures of properties and assets due to overdue debts.

After dozens of farmers parked their tractors on the national highway near the Thessaly city in central Greece on Monday, more of their colleagues started joining the action in other parts of the country of Tuesday.

According to an announcement by the farmers’ National Roadblock Coordination Committee, producers in Trikala and Magnesia are revving up their tractors to roll out on Wednesday, and will be followed on Thursday by their colleagues in Imathia and in Iraklio on Crete.

Larissa’s farmers, meanwhile, will not be setting up their customary protest at the Nikaia toll station, but will be moving to Platykambos when they join the nationwide protest on Thursday.

Hania and Rethymno in Crete, as well as Arta in northwestern Greece, will see their share of road blocks on Friday, while Aetoloakarnania’s turn will come on Saturday.

The action is expected to peak on Saturday, February 3, when farmers will converge on the northern port city of Thessaloniki to protest outside the annual Agrotica agricultural trade fair.

The action is not expected to cause any major disruptions on the national road network, as farmers tend to line their tractors up along the hard shoulder, though it may mean some delays for motorists when protesters are coming and going from their gathering points.