Citizens react to Lipton's pricing: Purchase price schedule announced

The General Directorate of Tea Enterprises (ÇAYKUR) has reduced the quota to 20 kilograms per decare as of today.

The private sector has also lowered its prices.

Private sector representatives, who continue to purchase at prices well below the announced base price of 17 TL for fresh tea, have seen the price per kilogram of tea drop to as low as 12 TL.

Tea producers expressed their reaction when Lipton, one of the international representatives of the sector, joined the caravan of low prices.

Lipton announced that it would purchase tea from producers at 17 TL on the condition of payment in January, while it would purchase at 16 TL with payment on December 24, 15 TL with payment on November 26, and 14 TL with payment on September 24. For those who want to sell their tea and receive cash, it announced that the price per kilogram would be 13 Lira 50 Kuruş with weekly payment at the factory, and 13 TL with weekly payment.

'BETTER NOT TO SELL'

Stating that these prices are an injustice to the labor of tea producers, tea producer Cengiz Yıldırım said, “Prices at Lipton change every day. One day you look, it's 15 TL, the next day you look, it's 14 TL, the day after that you look, it's 13 Lira 50 Kuruş. The next day you look, it's 13 TL. They are mocking the citizens. Citizens are harvesting tea in this heat. They play with the prices every day; it is shameful. It is a pity for this labor. Why are you buying below the price set by the state? It is a pity and a sin against this labor. Can tea be bought for 13 TL? Where is 17 TL, where is 13 TL? I am calling out to the citizens, do not give your tea. They will say, 'You give to ÇAYKUR for 17 and you give to the private sector for 13 TL.' There is no need. It is better not to sell.”