Producers want wheat, barley to be purchased more

Emre Eser - ISTANBUL

In a positive move for farmers, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has announced the purchase price for barley and wheat that farmers have long been waiting for.

“Our producers will receive 9,250 liras per ton for bread wheat and 7,500 liras per ton for barley,” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said following a cabinet meeting on June 6.

Although producers emphasized that the increase in prices was pleasing in general, they said that the barley harvest started 15-10 days ago and some producers were selling at a loss.

Mustafa Yılmaz, president of the Şanlıurfa Chamber of Agricultural Engineers, said their expectations had been partially met.

“Prices have increased compared to last year. It is good that there is an increase, but according to our cost calculation, it does not fully meet the expectations of farmers in our region,” he said.

Yılmaz pointed out that input costs are constantly increasing.

“Due to the start of the barley harvest, some farmers sold their produce to traders for 5,000 liras,” he said.

“Almost 70 percent of the producers have already made the sale. However, the purchase price of barley was announced at 7,500 liras. The trader made more profits than the farmer.”

Burak Kırkgöz, the president of the Konya Chamber of Agricultural Engineers, said that the prices are quite pleasing for the Central Anatolian region and stated that the Turkish Grain Board (TMO) should make more purchases.

Kırkgöz recalled that while under normal conditions in the region, wheat needs to be irrigated four times, this year, it was irrigated twice due to the good rainfall.

“As a result, the yield rose, and the cost increased slightly less,” he said.

“In Konya and the surrounding area, irrigation is usually done with electricity. This has multiplied the costs. But now these prices have made the producers in this region smile. From now on, it is important that TMO continues to buy more and more. This way, the producer will not be affected by price fluctuations in the market and will not have to sell his product at lower prices,” he added.

Kırkgöz explained that there was a “middle ground” in the announced prices, especially for wheat.

“End consumers as well as producers are in mind here. A high purchase price for wheat means a hike in most products, especially bread. I think a price adjustment is made accordingly,” he said.

On the other hand, Yılmaz said that the policies regarding support, premiums and incentives should be reviewed in order to make farmers produce sustainably.

“Announced prices often do not keep pace with inflation,” Yılmaz said.

“In addition, farmers want to be paid at the beginning of the planting period rather than at the end. We expect these issues to be corrected in the new period and for TMO to buy more from more farmers in larger quantities,” he added.