Athens - Greek farmers protesting low prices for their products continued to block the main border crossing with Bulgaria on Friday.

Thousands of farmers lifted their road blocks in the northern prefectures of Macedonia and Thrace after accepting an emergency aid package by the government.

In the past week and a half, thousands of farmers used their tractors to create more than 70 roadblocks along all the main highways across Greece.

Starting Thursday, many farmers' unions in southern and central Greece began removing their tractors from main highways after accepting the package but other farmers at border crossings with Bulgaria and in the agricultural city of Larissa stayed in position.

Reports said hundreds of farmers continued to block the Promachonas border crossing after roadblocks were lifted briefly on Friday morning to allow trucks with perishable goods to cross the border with Bulgaria.

The main highway connecting the capital Athens with Greece's second largest city of Thessaloniki remained closed at the junction of Nikaia.

The farmers are demanding tax rebates and subsidies from the government in the wake of falling prices for their goods and sinking EU subsidies. They estimated that their income levels had declined by a quarter in the past 10 years.

The conservative government has offered an aid package totalling 500 million euros (650 million dollars) and has said the current financial crisis leaves them no room to offer more.

Greek businesses said the strike, which followed quickly in the wake of riots cost them millions in lost revenue.

The government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis has taken a beating in the past few months as public discontent over low wages and rising unemployment triggered some of the worst riots the country has seen in December. (dpa)