While the food crisis occupies the agenda all over the world, in Turkey it is only passed through with political speeches. In the Hançalar neighborhood of Denizli's Çal district, the farmers, who learned that the lands they had cultivated were put out to tender silently, reacted to the situation. The fact that only one Ankara-based firm applied for the tender, that the process was carried out without informing the farmers, and that the rental fee was determined as a small amount such as 10 Turkish Liras (TL) per acre brought up the claims of the offer.
While searching for solutions for the agriculture and food crisis, which has been on the agenda recently, it was claimed that agricultural lands in the Hançalar neighborhood of Denizli's Çal district were given by tender. Hasan Koparan, the headman of Hançalar neighborhood, stated that they learned that 3,000 acres of agricultural land, which is divided into 10 parcels within the borders of Hançalar and has a total area of 12,000 decares, will be rented for a ridiculous amount in the first place, with the tender to be held on July 27. He called for the land to remain with the peasants.
“IF THE LANDS GO, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR US TO FARM”
Hançalar neighborhood Headman Hasan Koparan, who made a statement to our newspaper about the lands subject to the tender, pointed out that 4 villages are farming on these lands, and said, “With the drying of the Büyük Menderes river, we have no chance to do irrigated agriculture. We continue to carry out our agricultural activities in these lands with higher altitudes. If these lands are donated to a company, it will not be possible for us to farm in our villages."
“THE WANTED PRICE WHICH CAUSES US TO THINK IT HAS BEEN MADE A PRESENT!”
Stating that the tender for the lands will be held on July 27, Koparan emphasized that the information about the tender process was given to the villagers late, and added, "Our villagers cannot enter the tender, as the news about the tender to be held is given to us late and the tender conditions are organized depending on the score. We received information from the National Real Estate for the tender. According to the information given to us, a company based in Ankara applied for the tender and there is no other company other than this company. The rental fee of 10 TL per acre in the tender is funny. The price asked makes us think that the lands were donated.”
“ACCEPT OUR FARMERS FOR TENDER, WE ARE READY TO PAY HIGHER PRICES”
Expressing that the villagers should be included in the tender conditions, Koparan stated that while the operation of the treasury lands should be allowed with the law, information should be given about the sale of the lands and said, “We want our villagers to continue to operate these lands, not a company. Instead of giving 10 TL per acre to a foreign company in the region, we villagers come together and give more than the desired amount. As long as our farmers continue to carry out their agricultural activities here.”