Female potato farmer rebels: We are finished, truly finished!

CHP Niğde Deputy and member of the Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Affairs, Ömer Fethi Gürer, met with potato farmers in the Yakacık region of Altunhisar district.

Meeting with potato farmers in the Yakacık region, Gürer examined the challenges they are experiencing. Regarding the situation of the producers, Gürer stated, "The farmers' faces did not smile with potatoes this year either. They could not make money from summer potatoes. As for winter potatoes, the producer is very anxious. The Turkish Grain Board (TMO) must make a plan starting today." 

FARMERS ARE INCURRING LOSSES

A female potato farmer who voiced her grievances to CHP deputy Ömer Fethi Gürer expressed her concerns about the sustainability of agricultural production, saying, "By God, brother, our harvest is on the ground; it doesn't even cover the cost of our fertilizer or our pesticides. We are struggling here in the heat. If our water bills are like this, why are we planting and sowing? What will this public eat if we don't plant or sow? If we don't have farmers, what will our people eat and drink? If we remain in such a crushed state, we are finished, truly finished."

'POTATOES ARE GOING TO WASTE IN THE FIELD'

CHP Niğde Deputy Ömer Fethi Gürer pointed out that while potato prices on the shelves are not falling, the product in the field is not finding its value, stating, "The price of potatoes on the shelf does not drop much, but the potatoes in the field are going to waste. Producers say, 'If our product doesn't find its value, why should we plant it next year? We planted it out of necessity.'" He expressed that farmers are trying to produce under duress.

The female farmer supported this situation, saying, "If you sell potatoes for 2 TL, it doesn't even cover the cost of the worker. The harvest we bring in doesn't even cover a single worker." 

CHP Niğde Deputy Ömer Fethi Gürer stated, "There is a major problem, and regarding this,  the government is just watching." 

AGRICULTURAL IRRIGATION COSTS AND ELECTRICITY PRICES

Potato farmer Cumali Durak complained about the rising costs in addition to the product not finding its value, and specifically about the high electricity prices used for agricultural irrigation following the recent electricity price hike. "I don't understand why the electricity provided for this agricultural irrigation is charged like normal industrial electricity. It should be lower. We cannot keep up with the irrigation cooperatives. I am paying 350,000 TL for water. They raised the price by 38% last month and added 100 TL to the hourly rate of water," he said, emphasizing that irrigation costs have become a huge burden for farmers.

Potatoes were left in the field this year. We are selling the product below cost. We have to sort them. Half of it goes to waste in the field. We couldn't sell potatoes for 2-3 liras. No one is looking out for us. The problem is huge. Summer potatoes had never fallen into this situation before. Inputs do not stop increasing. Input prices are breaking our backs. The value of the product we produce is falling. There is also a problem with animal products. In products like meat and milk, the farmer's production is being pushed back. Is this inflation going to be brought down on the farmer's back? Did we create inflation, and is it being targeted to be reduced through us? We have debts. We have reached a point where we cannot pay our debts," he said.

Potato farmer and agricultural engineer Rasim Yılmaz said, "Summer potato production has been devastated. We are worried about the winter planting that is about to start. Producers could not find a price between 2-3 TL for their potatoes. Because of the lack of planning this summer, we as producers wasted our fertilizer. We wasted our dollars, our money. Since 2021, fertilizer and pesticide prices have increased exactly 10-fold. However, the price of potatoes has dropped 10-fold compared to last year. Potatoes, which were 18 TL last year, are now being sold for 2 TL. The situation is that dire."

REACTION TO THE INCREASE IN FERTILIZER AND DIESEL PRICES

CHP Niğde Deputy and member of the Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Affairs, Ömer Fethi Gürer, stated that despite the increases in fertilizer, seed, and diesel prices, the government is content with just watching the situation. "I am calling out to the Minister and the President; the price of fertilizer is rising, you are watching; the price of seeds is rising, you are watching; the price of diesel is rising, you are watching. The farmer's income is falling, you are watching. You are not managing the process correctly, which will lead to a deepening crisis in food in the coming period," he said. 

IMBALANCE BETWEEN PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION

CHP Niğde Deputy Ömer Fethi Gürer emphasized that the failure to cover production costs and the mismanagement of the intermediary system victimize both the producer and the consumer. He stated, "The producer must be able to recoup the costs spent on the product they produce. The intermediary system for products on the shelf must be managed correctly and reflect the price the consumer pays. Now, we have reached a situation where the producer does not earn, and the consumer complains, 'I cannot afford it.'"

DECLINE IN POTATO PRODUCTION SINCE 1999

CHP Niğde Deputy Ömer Fethi Gürer drew attention to the decline in potato production in Turkey over the years. "In 1999, 6.5 million tons of potatoes were grown in this country. Today, our population has increased by 30 million, yet our potato production is 5.5 million tons. And even that is going to waste in the field like this. Most of the produce is not being harvested. In the past, potato dishes were consumed at every table. It was one of the most affordable products. Production  would not go to waste," he said, highlighting that the farmers' products left in the fields are not being harvested and that waste is increasing. "It is a shame, it is a sin, it is waste. Bringing the country to this state is destroying our future today," he said.

IF THE PRODUCER DOES NOT PRODUCE...

CHP Niğde Deputy Ömer Fethi Gürer stated that potato imports from Egypt in previous periods had negative consequences for Turkish agriculture. "Potatoes were imported from Egypt. Should we fall into that situation again? Should the producer stop producing and let the problems multiply?" he asked.

FARMERS' DEBT BURDEN HAS INCREASED

CHP Niğde Deputy Ömer Fethi Gürer drew attention to the debt burden of farmers and the difficulties they face in the face of the economic crisis. He highlighted the crisis in the agricultural sector by stating, "Most farmers have loan debts. Farmers currently owe 700 billion liras to banks. With market debts, farmers are nearly 800 billion in debt, fields are mortgaged, and most are not even in a position to pay their field rent."

CALL TO AUTHORITIES: 'PROTECT THEM'

Ömer Fethi Gürer called for urgent measures from the authorities. "We are calling out to the authorities; potatoes have been left in the fields in Niğde. Take measures immediately, do not let the winter potatoes fall into the same situation, protect the farmers," he said. Gürer stated that it is essential to take urgent steps to solve the problems experienced by potato producers.

CHP Niğde Deputy Ömer Fethi Gürer stated that irrigation water is a major problem in the region and that crops are left in the fields in places where water cannot be found. He drew attention to the difficulties faced by farmers with the words, "Irrigation water is a problem in the entire region; in some places, water cannot be found. In some regions, even if water is found, the prices are very high."

FARMER REGISTRATION SYSTEM (ÇKS) PROBLEMS

Farmer Osman Başer said, "Now they say we are supporting the farmer. But the field is rented, the landlord gets the support, not the farmer. We want these authorities, the Chamber of Agriculture or the District Directorate of Agriculture, to deal with these issues." Gürer, stating that the legal regulations regarding the Farmer Registration System (ÇKS) should be changed, said, "The law needs to be amended so that support is given to the one who plants. The landlord sits in Istanbul and receives the support, but the producing farmer here cannot benefit from this support. Whoever plants the field should receive the support. Although we frequently bring this issue up, the ruling majority does not provide the necessary regulation."

 Gürer called for urgent steps to be taken to solve the problems experienced by farmers and emphasized that the voices of the farmers must be heard.

News Source: 12punto