İYİ Parti Demands Minimum 150 Lira Price for Dried Grapes
· TMO
İYİ Parti Manisa Deputy Şenol Sunat stated that the production cost per kilogram of dried grapes has reached 100 lira, demanding the minimum support price be set at least at 150 lira.
Market Uncertainty in Dried Grapes
İYİ Parti Deputy Chairman and Manisa Deputy Şenol Sunat, who met with producers in Çamköy Mahallesi as part of the 8th Traditional Grape Harvest Festival organized by the Manisa Yörük Türkmen Association, drew attention to the uncertainty in the dried grape market. Stating that the 80 TL advance price announced by TARİŞ does not cover costs, Sunat noted that the Turkish Grain Board (TMO) has not announced an intervention price. İYİ Parti Deputy Chairman and Manisa Deputy Şenol Sunat made the following statement on the matter:
'At a time when input costs are so high, with TARİŞ announcing an 80 lira advance price and TMO making no announcement at all, the farmer is left unprotected against market uncertainty. Our producers are in great distress.'
Emphasizing that the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry should intervene, İYİ Parti Deputy Chairman and Manisa Deputy Şenol Sunat continued his statement as follows:
'We expect a statement from the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry from Manisa, the capital of grapes, so that our farmers do not give up on grape production. This uncertainty must be eliminated as soon as possible.'
Cost Calculation and Price Demand
Şenol Sunat stated that, based on discussions with farmers and agricultural chambers, the kilogram cost of dried grapes was calculated to be approximately 100 TL, and announced that they had revised the 180 TL price proposal from July with the party's boards. İYİ Parti Deputy Chairman and Manisa Deputy Şenol Sunat explained the evaluation process within the party with the following words:
'Later, we met with the experts of our party. As a result of the evaluations, our İYİ Parti Agricultural Policies Chairman Kadir Ulusoy stated that the purchase price should not be less than 150 TL. Our demand is clear: The purchase price for dried grapes should never fall below 3 dollars.'
TMO Intervention and Export Balance
Noting that the TMO's non-intervention in the market is linked to exporters' cost concerns, Şenol Sunat stated that producers and traders should not be pitted against each other. İYİ Parti Deputy Chairman and Manisa Deputy Şenol Sunat, advocating that export competition should be supported with freight and market incentives, made the following statements:
'There are those who attribute TMO's lack of announcement to exporters' high price concerns. But we must protect the rights of the producer. We need to ensure that the producer can survive.'
Sunat added that quality and sustainable product supply in global markets would not be possible without ensuring producer welfare.
Market Support Through Public Procurement
Şenol Sunat proposed that state institutions should make direct purchases to absorb any surplus supply that may arise during the harvest period and requested that dried grapes be included in social assistance and institutional nutrition programs. İYİ Parti Deputy Chairman and Manisa Deputy Şenol Sunat made the following assessment on the matter:
'I want to remind once again that it is very important for any surplus in production to be distributed in schools, used within the Turkish Armed Forces, and for our state to purchase grapes and offer them to our citizens' nutrition.'
It was stated that such public interventions would maintain the domestic market price balance.
Regional Production and Olive Warning
Sunat reported that there are marketing problems with other agricultural products across Manisa; he stated that gherkins in Gördes, melons and watermelons in Saruhanlı, and industrial tomatoes in Yunusemre remained unharvested in the fields. İYİ Parti Deputy Chairman and Manisa Deputy Şenol Sunat, stating that a similar risk could be seen in the upcoming olive harvest, concluded his speech as follows:
'If there is production, the wheels of this country turn. Turkey has fertile lands and hardworking producers. What is missing is planning, foresight, and a management approach that protects the producer.'