Farmers rebelled: We are going bankrupt while working, there is no point in working

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has determined the purchase prices of 2024 crop grains. The prices announced as 10 thousand liras per ton for pasta wheat, 9 thousand 250 liras for bread wheat and 7 thousand 250 liras for barley will rise further with the support of difference payments to producers. However, grain purchase prices were not sufficient for farmers. Farmers, who state that they incur losses while producing, want grain purchase prices to be updated.

Farmers producing wheat and paddy in İkiztepe village of Samsun’s Bafra district stated that the announced grain prices do not cover their costs. Behzat Kara, one of the producers, said, “I studied Political Science for four years. I studied in English and then took French. I am an equipped person. I returned to my village with pleasure. I returned to my village with pleasure because I wanted to produce, but unfortunately I was upset with production.” Mümin Zandar, one of the producers, said, “We go bankrupt while working. There is no point in working. Those who do not work are more comfortable than us. Leave the place empty, do not spend anything, you will make more profit.”

CHP Samsun Deputy Murat Çan visited the wheat and paddy producer in Bafra district of Samsun. Listening to the problems of the producers, Çan said that the wheat purchase prices should be reviewed and revised by the government.

COSTS INCREASED BY NEARLY 150 PERCENT

Murat Çan said:

“We are in Bafra İkiztepe village. This year’s wheat purchase prices were announced quietly on the website of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Services on the evening of June 6. According to the results, bread wheat is 9 thousand 250 liras per ton, pasta wheat is 10 thousand liras, and barley is 7 thousand 250 liras. There is also purchasing support for the farmers. However, if we compare it to the previous year, this purchasing support is reflected to the farmers within 6 months to 1 year. This is the input costs of this wheat field, such as labor, fuel and fertilizer. When we look at the expenses invested in the land, there is an increase in input costs between 100 and 150 percent. When we look at the purchase price, it is 12 percent in total compared to last year. When we look at last year’s prices of bread wheat, which was 9 thousand 250 liras per ton, and pasta wheat, which was 10 thousand liras, the prices purchased by the tradesmen. This is the same situation this year. Shopkeepers currently intend to buy bread wheat at 8-7 lira. In addition, our friends who want to give products to the office and apply can make an appointment for the 9th of July immediately after the price is announced. In this wheat field, this product must be removed from the soil and dismantled within a week at the latest. I leave it to those who announce this price to decide where it will be stored and where this product will be left.

“FARMERS ARE ON THE VERGE OF GIVING UP FROM PRODUCING”

What is the situation when we make an evaluation in terms of yield between last year and this year? Wheat production will be 5 percent less this year. They say that we may be producing less wheat considering the increase in our population, but we import wheat and we are the first or second exporting product in the world as pasta in processed form and other products. Well, Türkiye, an agricultural country, has reduced wheat production by around 5 percent in almost 20 years. However, it can produce enough wheat to be self-sufficient. In approximately 20 years, we have rendered agricultural land as large as Thrace unarable. All of these have an invoice. Our citizens cannot send their children to university or meet their social needs with the money they pay for harvesters, fertilizer, labor and fuel, and therefore they are on the verge of giving up production. With these feelings, I warn the government once again that the wheat purchase price should be reviewed by the government and that our farmers should not be victimized and exposed in the hands of tradesmen.”

“Unfortunately, I am offended by production”

Behzat Kara, one of the producers, said:

“As of this month, there is over 70 percent inflation, but unfortunately the price increase for wheat is around 10 percent. Increase for everything, increase for everything. There is a slight difference between last year’s diesel price and this year’s diesel price. If we say fertilizer prices, seed prices are the same. If we say so, labor prices are like that. As such, I never plan to plant the wheat I planted this year, because I have planted nearly 100 decares of wheat. I do not plan to plant another decare next year because I will make a profit if I leave it alone. We are upset with production. I mean, we can’t make money. I studied Political Science for four years, and then I studied in French. I came back to my village with pleasure because I wanted to do production, but unfortunately, I am now upset with production. “I’m here, my clothes are on the field. We work hot and cold, and we only want to make a profit from the product without adding our labor.”

“THERE IS NO MEANING TO WORKING”

Mümin Zandar, one of the producers, said:

“Our input costs are very high. At this time last year, engine prices were in the 19-20 band, but today they have increased to 42-43 bands. The cost has doubled. In short, we have moved away from production. We go bankrupt while working. There is no point in working. Those who do not work are more comfortable than us. Leave it blank “Don’t spend any more money. Livestock is gone. Imported meat is coming, imported animals are coming. Now wheat is cheap, reduce the price of feed and reduce the price of flour. In short, there is nothing much to say.”