In Hatay, agricultural workers harvesting hot peppers for a daily wage of 600 TL continue their work under challenging conditions in the scorching heat.
The hot capia peppers harvested under tough conditions are being sold for 22 TL per kilogram directly from the field.
Farmers in Hatay, who are healing the wounds of the earthquake through their production, recently began the pepper harvest. In the fertile Amik Plain, peppers ripen in the hot weather and are meticulously picked by agricultural workers in the scorching heat. Workers earning a daily wage of 600 TL face considerable difficulty during the hot pepper harvest. They experience the heat’s impact when their hands come into contact with their faces, adding to their challenging conditions. Sezai Kılınç, who planted capia peppers on approximately 6 dönüm of land in the Hassa district, has also started the harvest. The peppers, carefully gathered by the workers under tough conditions, are being sold at 22 TL per kilogram directly from the field.
“It burns if you touch your face, your eyes will water”
Inci Yeşil, who described the difficulty she faces when she touches her face, said, “We are picking peppers in the hot weather. We work for our daily bread, and it’s hard in this heat. The peppers are hot, and the conditions are tough. Our daily wage is 600 TL, and we hope for divine assistance. It burns if you touch your face, and your eyes will water.”
“The harvest is going well, and we agreed on 22 TL for sales”
Farmer Sezai Kılınç mentioned that he agreed on a price of 22 TL per kilogram for the peppers, saying, “The weather is very hot, over 40 degrees. Our harvest is going well, thank God. The yield is good; I harvested nearly 2 tons from about 1 dönüm of land. I planted a total of 6 dönüm. The harvest is plentiful, and we agreed on a price of 22 TL for sales. The peppers burn in the heat, and so do we; our hands burn too. When you touch your face, it feels like poison.”