According to the portal Dünya, the restrictions imposed by the Turkish government regarding the export of potatoes and onions force producers to sell off stocks of products, and can also lead to hundreds of thousands of tons of waste.
The publication recalls that the government at the end of 2018, after rising food prices, accused manufacturers of intentionally storing goods, as a result of which consumers tried to buy essential goods. Police raided food warehouses, while the government opened subsidized grocery stores. In addition, fearing another jump in inflation, authorities this year added potatoes and onions to the list of goods requiring special export permits.
Domestic demand for potatoes and onions this year was rather low, and buyers in Turkey offered prices that were unprofitable for producers, which could lead to losses, the newspaper writes.
Dünya reports that due to a new government decree, manufacturers are not yet able to sell existing goods abroad.
It is expected that onion consumption before the start of the new agricultural season in May will be about 200 thousand tons, and at the moment there are about 500 thousand tons in warehouses, which may mean that hundreds of thousands of tons of food will simply rot.
Low profitability and restrictions on international sales can force many farmers to abandon the planting of major crops, the publication indicates. “Last year, export of 60 thousand tons to India and other countries helped us to cope with the difficulties at least a little. If the situation does not change, next year farmers will refuse to plant so many vegetables because they will not be able to pay for diesel, fertilizers, pesticides and other needs, ”said Haidar Karaja, head of the onion producers' union in the northern Turkish province of Amasia, in an interview with Dünya .