Scottish farmers will join thousands of other European farmers at a mass demonstration in Brussels tomorrow.
The protest has been organised by Copa-Cogeca – the Brussels-based group representing farming unions and co-operatives.
It is due to take place on the same day as an extraordinary meeting of EU agriculture ministers.
Copa-Cogeca said the demonstration had been organised to demand action from politicians.
In a statement the farmers’ body said: “There is an extremely difficult situation on the EU pigmeat, dairy, fruit and vegetable and beef markets, mainly as a result of the Russian export restrictions which shot the EU’s main export market overnight. Prices are below production costs in many countries and farm incomes low, forcing some out of business.
“Producers are victims of international politics. The EU Commission, ministers and MEPs must act.”
Among those attending the protest are NFU Scotland president Allan Bowie, vice president Rob Livesey, livestock committee chairman Charlie Adam and the union’s livestock policy manager John Sleigh.
The union will also send a delegation to Westminster on Monday to brief Scottish MPs on the current crisis in the Scottish farming sector.
President Allan Bowie said the union would lobby for a range of measures to address the problems facing Scottish farmers and crofters.
These include: ensuring the delivery of subsidy payments in December; setting up an European task force to tackle problems in the lamb market; and improving country of origin labelling.
“These are unprecedented times for Scottish farming with so many key contributors to our agricultural output – cropping, livestock and dairy – struggling in the face of low prices, extreme market volatility and challenging weather. But we are not alone, and these are problems faced by fellow farmers in the UK and across Europe,” said Mr Bowie.
“While it is a perpetual challenge to manage the laws of supply and demand, there are actions that can be taken across the supply chain to ease the current crisis, prevent farmers going out of business and, instead, realise their potential. On Monday, we will discuss those actions with our politicians in Brussels and London.”