In our country, where wrong agricultural policies have been implemented for years, the focus was again on the results, not the causes. Inspecting the fertilizer dealers upon the complaints of the farmers, the teams visited the warehouses of the companies and checked the fertilizer sacks.
The "exorbitant price" sought on the shelves and on the market stalls for basic foodstuffs such as sunflower oil, dried legumes, eggs, poultry meat, vegetables and fruits was searched this time in fertilizer stores.
PRICE INSPECTIONS FOR FOOD CONTINUE
When the farmers complained about the increase in fertilizer prices, the authorities visited the fertilizer companies' warehouses in Edirne under the Law on the Regulation of Retail Trade and checked the fertilizer sacks. Edirne Trade Manager Mahmut Altun stated that the inspections of basic foodstuffs such as sunflower oil, dried pulses, eggs, white meat, vegetables and fruits are continuing by the Ministry of Commerce and said, "In addition, complaints are received from our farmers that there are exorbitant prices in the fertilizer types used by the farmers," he said.
CITIZEN SUPPORT REQUESTED FOR EXTRAORDINARY PRICE
Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan said that he expected support from citizens in the fight against exorbitant prices. Saying “I expect the support of our citizens for the permanent struggle with exorbitant prices in vegetables and fruits”, Minister Pekcan pointed to the Unfair Price Increase (HFA) practice and said, "The attitude of our citizens, that is the consumer, is very important in the chain from the field to the counter. If this application is used effectively enough, I am sure that a very robust control mechanism will be established," she added.
FARMERS COMPLAINED ABOUT FERTILIZER PRICES
Stating that they started inspections after complaints about fertilizer prices, Altun made the following evaluations:
"As Edirne Trade Directorate, we carry out inspections with our Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry based on the authority given by the Law on the Regulation of Retail Trade in order to determine whether there are unfair price increases in the sector. We will share the inspection results with our Ministry of Trade. When an unfair price increase is detected, the necessary administrative fine will be applied by our ministry."