Republican People’s Party (CHP) Adana Deputy, Grand National Assembly of Turkey (GNAT) Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Affairs Committee Member Ayhan Barut brought the allegations that the fertilizer, which was imported at 300 dollars a ton, was sold to the farmers in Turkey at the level of 1,100 dollars. Stating that the government is watching the fire in the fertilizer, Barut said, “While the farmer cannot use fertilizer due to the exorbitant price increase, the government who should provide fertilizer to the farmer and protect the production and the producer, is playing ostrich.”
“NO VOICES”
Ayhan Barut, who brought the grave allegations regarding the fertilizer to the Parliament's agenda, submitted three separate parliamentary questions to the Presidency of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (GNAT) with the request of Vice President Fuat Oktay, Minister of Commerce Mehmet Muş and Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bekir Pakdemirli, "It is a serious problem that urea fertilizer, which is imported at the level of 300 dollars for each tone with all costs, is sold to farmers at prices exceeding 1,100 dollars in the domestic market. The farmer has a right to know all the details of the conflicting state on this issue and learning all the facts. The most important thing is that the government takes steps to eliminate the victimization and protect their rights. But no sound is coming out," Barut said.
"TURKSTAT'S DATA IS IN THE MIDDLE"
Reminding that nearly 6 million tons of agricultural fertilizers are used annually in Turkey, Ayhan Barut added:
“Unfortunately, we are a country dependent on foreign fertilizers as well. Production is almost negligible and we have become a country that supplies fertilizer through imports. In recent days, unbelievable claims have been made, especially with the import of urea fertilizer and the sales prices of imported products in the domestic market. According to the data of the Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT), 2,221,000 tons of urea fertilizer was imported in the January-October 2021 period, with an average tonne price of 344 dollars. The ton price of urea fertilizer, whose ton was sold for 1,700-1,800 Turkish Liras (TL) in June 2020, rose to 15,000 TL in the last period, and decreased to 13-14,000 TL after the partial decrease in exchange rates. One of the important issues here is that the tone of urea fertilizer with all the costs imported at the level of 300 dollars, is sold at prices exceeding 1,100 dollars in the domestic market. The farmer has the right to learn all the facts and to know the process in detail. The most important thing is that the government takes steps to eliminate the victimization and protect their rights. But no sound comes out.”
“ARE YOU GOING TO ACT?”
As reflected in the media and the public in fertilizer imports, are the claims that the price of raw materials used in fertilizer and fertilizer production at the level of 300 dollars a ton are sold to farmers in the domestic market at a price of 1,100 dollars per ton, is it true?
While the data announced by TURKSTAT confirms the import and domestic market sales prices above, how did your ministry handle this process and did it take any steps?
Are you going to make a public statement about this situation, which is described as a big profiteering in fertilizer?
While it has been announced that the government works with controlling and balancing on food prices, why is no action taken regarding fertilizer prices?
Due to the exorbitant price increase, the farmer planted without using fertilizers, and while the farmer is forced to close the season like this, do you plan to supply fertilizers to the producers by providing harvest dated and ease of payment?”