On 20 March 1847 a riot broke out in the town of Rosas, Catalonia. The insurrection raised alarm bells about the possibility that the discontent could once again fuel Carlist movements. During the first decades of the 19th century, Spain experienced a growth in cereal production, especially wheat. Part of the harvest was therefore destined for export. At the same time, protectionist measures were adopted that prioritised the sale of domestic produce and hindered flour imports. In 1847, however, Spanish agricultural production went into decline. A production crisis was looming, which the authorities tried to mitigate by prohibiting the export of wheat and abolishing import duties. These measures benefited consumers but, at the same time, were detrimental to the large Spanish agricultural landowners. It was, in fact, the opposition of certain social and political sectors to these measures that meant that they were not fully implemented, leading to a rise in bread prices and the outbreak of various riots on the peninsula.