Low-Tariff Onion Imports Hit Domestic Producers
· GıdaTarım
The extension of the 5% low customs duty on dry onions until 2027 has pushed domestic farmers, struggling with high input costs, to the brink of abandoning production.
Import Decision and Tariff Reduction
The 5% customs duty on dry onion imports has been extended until January 31, 2027. This decision directly risks the next two seasons for domestic producers struggling under production costs. Reşit Kaya, Chairman of the Onion Producers and Suppliers Association, stated that the decisions taken have set the sector back 7 years. Summarizing the grim picture on the ground, Reşit Kaya, Chairman of the Onion Producers and Suppliers Association, made the following statements:
"We can no longer produce this way. We have abandoned onion production plans in Adana and Reyhanlı. The lands will remain fallow because other products are not profitable either. They are turning rotten onions from other countries into money. We cannot sell a kilogram of onion that costs us 15 lira for 18 lira. They are throwing farmers' hopes into the trash."
Cost Pressure and Market Loss
Emphasizing that agricultural input costs in Turkey are increasing daily, Reşit Kaya drew attention to the fact that domestic farmers pay 1,500 TL for daily labor. In contrast, he stated that producers in importing countries obtain fertilizer at 3 TL and diesel at 1 TL. Stating that importers are not getting what they expected in this unfair competition environment, Reşit Kaya, Chairman of the Onion Producers and Suppliers Association, described the situation as follows:
"They cannot sell the onions they import from Iran, Uzbekistan, and Egypt for 12 lira, even though they import them for 22 lira. They imported 50,000 tons of onions. The onions remained in storage."
It was noted that the products could not find space in chain supermarkets due to consumers' lack of interest in imported products.
Rotting in Storage and Export Demand
Industry representatives, stating that Turkey is a self-sufficient country in dry onion production, emphasize that import policies have brought domestic production to the brink of collapse. Reşit Kaya, Chairman of the Onion Producers and Suppliers Association, stated that the solution lies in re-establishing balance in foreign trade. Calling for the urgent opening of export channels and a halt to imports, Reşit Kaya, Chairman of the Onion Producers and Suppliers Association, concluded his remarks as follows:
"Imports must be closed, and exports must be opened. They have been throwing farmers' hopes into the trash for 7 years. Last year, we threw 1 million tons of onions in the trash. We have a surplus this year too. We will throw them away this year as well."