Turquía: Potatoes cheaper this year

Nigde, Central Anatolia, is one of Turkey’s most important potato growing regions. The chairman of Nigde’s Chamber of Agriculture, Veli Kenar stated that the price of potatoes in the winter and spring months last year reached €1.60 a kilo, which is why this year, farmers have directed their efforts to potato farming and the planted land has increased from 150,000 acres to 173,000.

The potato harvest in the area has been completed and the yield is pleasing growers, says Kenar, the price has dropped and this will please consumers.

Due to several unfortunate experiences in the season last year, the price of potatoes from the fields reached €0.32, Kenar continues:

“Close to 3-4 tons a decare is being produced. Last year 600,000 tons were collected, this season the yield is around 800,000 tons. Potatoes from the field were sold for €0.16, from the storage warehouses they are sold for the same price. Last year a kilo from the fields cost €0.32, this year prices at the market have fallen as low as €0.32. I think the figures will not change and will continue at a similar level. This year potatoes are abundant and cheap. This will please consumers.”

Kenar draws attention to the fact that growers achieved sales below costs this year, “Growers, selling below their cost will not be be able to pay their debts, in the coming year the amount of planted land will automatically decrease. We want the prices to be balanced. We do not want the price of potatoes per kilo to exceed €0.96, nor do we want to sell for below cost.”