Counterfeit olive oil operation in Şanlıurfa

Teams from the Şanlıurfa Provincial Gendarmerie Command conducted an operation at an address identified as being used for the production and storage of counterfeit olive oil, as part of efforts to protect public health and prevent the production of unlicensed, fake food products.

During the search of the warehouse, 11 thousand 236 liters of counterfeit olive oil in 3 thousand 400 various 5-liter tins and packaging, 3 thousand 850 1-liter bottles, and 11 thousand empty 5-liter tins ready for filling, along with filling equipment, were seized.

An individual identified as M.Y. was taken into custody in connection with the incident. The investigation into the matter is ongoing.

STATEMENT FROM THE SECTOR REGARDING OLIVE OIL PRICES

Mustafa Tan, Chairman of the National Olive and Olive Oil Council (UZZK), stated that Turkey, like other examples around the world, is a country that experiences "on" and "off" years in olive production.

Noting that the average olive oil production over the last 10 "off years" was 164 thousand tons, Tan stated that despite this year being an "off year," a harvest of 180 thousand tons is expected.

Tan, noting that other countries also experienced losses last year, said, "There is approximately 180 thousand tons of stock, and this year we will have 180 thousand tons, totaling 360 thousand tons of product. 160 thousand tons of this will go to domestic consumption. At the same time, our record exports, which reached 1 billion dollars last year, were 150 thousand tons. If we add that on top, it makes 310 thousand tons. We may even have 40-50 thousand tons of olive oil left in our hands before next year."

Emphasizing that consumers should also be careful against counterfeit and adulterated olive oils, Tan said, "Olive oil prices in Turkey are moving in parallel with the world.

In fact, they were even lower last year. I think prices will reach a reasonable level next year. Our consumers are being frightened with rhetoric like 'it will reach these prices,' as if scaring children. The price of everything increases in proportion to its costs."

Warning against speculative statements regarding olive oil prices, Tan continued as follows:

"Prices are formed in the market; saying 'it will be like this, it will be like that' is speculative. This is wrong. Indeed, many of our organizations have started to announce their prices. They are also engaged in trade. They are announcing prices by following the rules of trade, looking at costs, defending the rights of producers as producer organizations, and at the same time acting like prudent merchants. When we look at the prices, they are prices that resemble world markets. The amount of high-quality oil is very low this year. For example, there is a price of 295 liras; this price is for the highest quality group. Normally, 1-1.5 acidity oils are around 200-250 liras."

Explaining that they conducted harvest assessment studies in September this year and expect a harvest of 180 thousand tons of olive oil and 442 thousand tons of table olives, Tan emphasized that keeping domestic market prices at a reasonable level is important for increasing consumption.

News Source: İHA