Era of selling fruits and vegetables by the gram begins in markets: 'Enough for one meal...'

President and AKP Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in his speech at the 953rd anniversary events of the Battle of Manzikert on Sunday, stated, "Those old days of scarcity and poverty have been left behind completely, never to return."

In Eskişehir, a vendor has begun selling products by the gram that citizens can no longer afford to buy by the kilogram. 

The vendor, who did not write the per-kilogram price on the okra displayed on the stall, offered 200 grams of okra for 30 liras with a 'for one meal' label, and 335 grams for 50 liras with a 'for a full meal' label. 

'CUSTOMERS RUN AWAY WHEN YOU WRITE THE KILOGRAM PRICE'

CHP Eskişehir Deputy Utku Çakırözer met with vendors and citizens at the Eskişehir Tuesday Market. Çakırözer listened to market vendors and citizens shopping at the local market, accompanied by his party's neighborhood representatives.

A vendor who complained to Çakırözer said the following:

"When you write the kilogram price on the label, the customer runs away. When you write 100 liras or 150 liras per kilogram for okra, the customer runs away. So we put up labels saying 'for one meal (200 grams)' and 'for a full meal (335 grams).'

One meal for one person is 30 liras, a full meal for 2-3 people is 50 liras. We are still selling watermelon by the slice in August, when watermelons are most abundant. Citizens even haggle over that. Because the citizens' purchasing power is zero. The situation in the market is unfortunately pathetic."

'THE COST OF LIVING HAS GONE THROUGH THE ROOF'

A citizen shopping at the market expressed that they have become disillusioned with markets and grocery stores due to the high cost of living, speaking as follows:

"The market is expensive compared to the salaries we receive. We have become disillusioned with markets and grocery stores. There are 4 of us at home. I ask myself, with how much money should I come to the market? Is 500 liras enough? 500 liras is not enough to go to the market.

To fill a market bag, we need at least 1,500 or 2,000 liras. Life, the cost of living has gone through the roof; it must be stopped now! I bought a little bit of grapes and okra; if I bought one more thing, it would cost 300 liras. People are in a very difficult situation."

Aydın Kocaoğlu, a vendor selling watermelons and melons at the market, said that even in August, when watermelons are most abundant, citizens cannot afford to buy them. Kocaoğlu described the state of the market as follows:

'CITIZENS CAN NO LONGER EAT WATERMELON'

"I remember selling a truckload of watermelons 15 years ago. Now we can barely sell 500-600 kilograms of watermelon. Because citizens can no longer eat watermelon. If they can afford it, they buy half or a quarter. A quarter of a watermelon is between 15 and 20 liras. Citizens come and haggle over that too.

Because the citizens' purchasing power is zero. August is over, and in the period when watermelons are most abundant, they are still being sold by the slice.

Melons are 8 liras a kilo, and no one even looks at them. Try to make ends meet, if you can. How is a retiree supposed to make ends meet with a salary of 10,000 or 12,500 liras? People think ten times before buying or selling anything."

'MARKET VENDORS CAN NO LONGER WRITE KILOGRAMS ON LABELS'

Çakırözer, who listened to the vendors and citizens at the market, said:

"Market vendors can no longer write kilograms on the labels. When they write 150 liras for okra, people cannot afford it. That is why labels like 'for one meal' and 'for a full meal' have emerged.

'For one meal' is for 1 person. 'For a full meal' is for 4 people. And that is 335 grams for 50 liras. Because people can no longer say 1 kilogram or half a kilogram, they say 'enough for a meal.'

The producer in the field is a victim, the vendor in the market is a victim, and the citizen whose purchasing power has dropped and who cannot approach the stall due to the prices is a victim.

The ones responsible for this high cost of living, poverty, and financial hardship are this government that cannot manage the country!"