Cheap meat sales to continue until market becomes steady: Turkish minister

ANKARA

The sale of cheaper red meat to two supermarket chains under the coordination of authorities will continue until the market becomes steady and stable, a top Turkish official has announced.

The Meat and Milk Board (ESK) on Nov. 2 signed a deal to sell cheaper red meat to two supermarket chains, BİM and A101, in a bid to ease rising meat prices in Turkey.

“We will keep selling cheaper meat in two supermarket chains until the regulation becomes steady without giving any harm to producers or butchers shops. We will increase our daily sale capacity from six tons to 10 tons if needed,” Food, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Ahmet Eşref Fakıbaba told journalists in Ankara on Nov. 6.

One kilogram of minced meat is sold for 29 liras ($7.6) and one kg of meat cubes will be sold for 31 liras ($8.1) in these supermarkets.

“We have learned that the stocks in these markets were sold out by 11:00 a.m. today. The meat will be delivered tomorrow if the supplies are finished,” he added.

These chains are not allowed to sell red meat for higher than the above-mentioned prices.

Fakıbaba noted that other supermarket chains started to slash prices after this step was taken.

He had earlier said the government was seeking ways to permanently cut red meat prices, vowing to see up to 40 percent decreases in prices.