Farmers in Diyarbakır are not satisfied with the prices of cereals
Following the announcement by the Grain Board of the Republic of Turkey (TMO) that it will pay 10,000 Turkish lira per ton for durum wheat, 9,250 Turkish lira per ton for bread wheat, and 7,250 Turkish lira per ton for barley, Mehmet Cevat Delil, the Coordinator Chairman of the Diyarbakır Agricultural Chambers, stated that the prices of cereals do not meet the expectations of farmers.
Mehmet Cevat Delil, the Coordinator Chairman of the Diyarbakır Agricultural Chambers, emphasized that the cereal prices announced by the Grain Board of the Republic of Turkey do not meet the expectations of farmers and expressed concerns that farmers will face difficulties due to the very low prices.
Delil highlighted that the announced prices fell well below expectations, stating, "Therefore, we received extreme reactions from our farmers. Our farmers are wondering how they will carry out production in the upcoming season. The prices for cereals have been announced as 9.25 Turkish lira for bread wheat, 10 Turkish lira for durum wheat, and 7.25 Turkish lira for barley. However, when compared to previous years, there is around an 11 percent difference for durum wheat and bread wheat. For barley, it's around 3 percent. The input costs for farmers, such as pesticides, fertilizers, diesel, and seed prices, have doubled."
Delil said, "Importation has been halted, and we welcome this. However, halting imports does not necessarily mean that the market will immediately rise. We have an excessive amount of stock in the market. We cannot expect the domestic market to rise before depleting this stock. Yes, the domestic market may rise eventually, but by that time, farmers will have already sold their products at low prices. The prices are very low, and our farmers cannot continue production like this."
Delil emphasized the need for determining base prices considering farmers' input costs, stating, "Our expectation from the TMO is to revise the wheat prices to 13 Turkish lira for bread wheat, 14 Turkish lira for durum wheat, and 10 Turkish lira for barley, and to provide support payments of up to 2,500 Turkish lira per ton for wheat and 1,500 Turkish lira per ton for barley to farmers registered in the Farmer Registration System (ÇKS). Agriculture is not only an economic activity; it is the future of this land. Agriculture is not only about today but also about tomorrow's guarantee. Base prices should be determined considering farmers' input costs. We call on the TMO to listen to our farmers, who feed the nation."
