Farmers in Manisa share their grievances with CHP leader Özgür Özel

In the Turgutlu district of Manisa, farmers who dumped tomatoes and eggplants in front of CHP Chairman Özgür Özel to voice their agricultural challenges explained their economic hardships and criticisms of government policies.

'THERE IS NOTHING LEFT TO SELL: NO HOUSE, NO CAR, NO FIELD'

Farmers Metin Arıkanlı and Harun Özen from Turgutlu stated that they are considering giving up farming. Arıkanlı said, "We planted eggplants this year and closed the season with a 200 thousand lira loss on 15 decares. The tomatoes were left in the field; we couldn't sell them. We also lost money on grapes and livestock. Labor and material costs are not being met; everything is a loss."

Özen stated that farmers are in debt due to the government's policies, saying, "There is nothing left to sell—no house, no car, no field. The government has finished off small-scale farmers. Everything is a loss; this year is the end." Özen added that fertilizer and pesticide costs are high, making production impossible.

FARMERS ARE FRUSTRATED

Criticizing the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's practice of leasing agricultural land, Özen said, "There is no one left to plant; who are they going to lease it to? The Minister of Agriculture is making a mistake on this issue. Inflation cannot be lowered through the farmer's produce; we have reached a point where we cannot cover our expenses."

The farmers expressed that the policies implemented to lower inflation have negatively affected them and that the government has failed to find solutions to the farmers' problems.