VOLOS, Greece

Protests in Greece's agricultural sector intensified on Thursday, with farmers and livestock breeders blocking access to Volos Port in the coastal city of Volos, Thessaly, about 330 kilometers (205 miles) north of the capital, Athens.

A large group of farmers gathered in the early hours and closed the port's main entrances with their tractors, halting transportation. Fishermen in the area contributed to the action by positioning their boats offshore.

The port remained closed for about five hours as police increased security around the site.

However, the farmers eventually dispersed, allowing the port to reopen.

"We are in a difficult situation and must make our voices heard. Closing the port is not easy for us, but we have no other choice," farmer Dimitris Kalogeropulos told Anadolu.

Another protester, Nikos Stavrianos, a Volos fisherman, added: "Farmers are not alone; we face the same problems. That's why supporting them from the sea was our duty."

Farmers are expected to block Thessaloniki Port on Friday, the main maritime gateway to southeast, central, and eastern Europe, which is strategically located in Northern Greece near the major Trans-European motorway.

Farmers staging demonstrations across Greece have occasionally blocked intercity highways, airports, and border crossings. They are advocating for the payment of delayed state assistance as well as measures to reduce high production costs.