Statement from the Ministry: Record fine on the way for CHP district head who dumped potatoes!

Sadık Erdoğan, the CHP District Head who is also a farmer in the Aydıncık district of Yozgat, dumped 150 sacks of potatoes into the village square because the potatoes he produced could not find buyers even below their cost. Erdoğan stated that citizens could take these potatoes for free. Following this incident, the Ministry of Trade launched an investigation into Erdoğan.

Deputy Minister of Trade Mahmut Gürcan announced that they took action following the footage that spread on social media under the title "Potato Dumping Protest in Kazankaya Village, Aydıncık, Yozgat Province." Gürcan confirmed that Erdoğan is a potato producer registered in the Farmer Registration System and is the CHP Aydıncık District Head.

Investigations revealed that Erdoğan had carried out similar actions before and made posts on his social media accounts. Furthermore, it was determined that he organized a protest event in Yozgat in which farmers participated. Findings were obtained suggesting that he incited the public to hatred and hostility through these actions.

It was reported that during field work conducted in Kazankaya Village on August 15, 2025, the dumped potatoes were collected and the scene was photographed. The collected information and documents will be forwarded to the Unfair Price Evaluation Board of the Ministry of Trade's General Directorate of Internal Trade. It was stated that as a result of the board's assessment, an administrative fine ranging from 1.4 million TL to 17.2 million TL could be imposed on Sadık Erdoğan for disrupting market balance and hindering free competition. Additionally, it was stated that a criminal complaint would be filed with the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on charges of inciting the public to hatred and enmity, as well as insulting the President.