Probe launched into vegetable oil price posts

ISTANBUL

A probe has been launched into dozens of social media accounts over “provocative” posts concerning the prices of vegetable oils, the General Directorate of Security has announced.

“Actions have been taken against 45 Twitter accounts which posted messages that are provocative and include disinformation about the prices of vegetable prices,” the authority said in a statement.

Over the weekend, newly appointed Agriculture and Forestry Minister Vahit Kirişçi dismissed speculations in some media outlets and social media platforms suggesting that the Ukraine-Russian conflict is creating supply problems and that Turkey does not have enough stable food in its stocks, such as sunflower seed oil.

The minister assured on Twitter on March 6 that the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry is closely watching the developments related to the conflict between Ukraine and Russia and taking all possible measures to prevent the possibility of supply problems of vegetable oils, adding that those claims suggesting that Turkey may face a shortage were not true.

Turkey exports grain and vegetable oil from Ukraine and Russia, but there have been some disruptions in deliveries due to the war, said Tahir Büyükhelvacıgil, the head of the Vegetable Oils Industrialists’ Association (BYSD).

“We had some ships waiting at the ports, and this situation worried us. We asked for help from the ministry, and officials immediately took action. Talks are underway with officials there,” he added, noting that some ships are on the way to Turkey.

“There is no crisis. We have enough vegetable oils, shelves at supermarkets will never go empty. There is no need for panic buying,” Büyükhelvacıoğlu said.

Meanwhile, officials in several provinces continued inspections at supermarkets, checking the prices of vegetable oils and their inventories.