VALLETTA, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Farmers in Malta are set to join their European Union (EU) peers in protests on Friday against the bloc's present framework and future ambitions that threaten their livelihood.

       The protest will take the form of a rally involving agricultural and non-agricultural vehicles.

       The Active Farmers Association said in a statement that it is organizing the demonstration for food producers to protest against measures affecting their livelihood.

       The association said the protest is supported by various other sectors in the local food chain.

       Similar protests are being held across the EU this week. Farmers blocked more traffic arteries across Belgium, France and Italy on Wednesday as they sought to disrupt trade at major ports and other economic lifelines.

       Carmel Vella, a Maltese farmer, plans to drop his agricultural tools and join his colleagues in support of their European peers. "Their pain is our pain. I'm hardly making enough money to live and feed my family. Something's got to be done," he told Xinhua.

       Vella said that surging costs for practically "everything under the sun" have made it impossible for local farmers to make ends meet. On the other hand, foreign produce is imported at a fraction of the price, creating unfair competition, he said.

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