Turkey: Potato prices drop below €0.60 a kilo

The chairman of Balikesir’s Vegetable and Fruit sellers, Ayhan Baydan made a statement in which he explains that weather conditions have had a heavy influence on potato price and production this year. 

Baydan explains that especially with potatoes, both the weather conditions and the late harvest have caused prices to rise, “Due to the harvest being late, people haven’t been choosing potatoes at the greengrocers and market.”

According to Baydan all producers in the country entered their potatoes on the local markets at the same time, “The supply at the markets increased, thus the prices fell. Purchasers began to buy potatoes for less than €0.60 a kilo from the wholesalers. Retailers reflected these low prices to consumers. Despite it being Ramadan, the price of 6 kilos of potatoes fell to €3.30. Only a month ago a kilo was bought for €1.50, now buyers can take home 3 kilos for the same price.”

This year weather conditions haven’t just affected the price of potatoes; the price of plums has also dropped to €2.30 a kilo and cherries are selling for as little as €0.80 a kilo. 

At the markets tomatoes can be bought for €0.30, cucumbers between €0.30-0.60, and aubergines around €0.40-0.50, Baydan states that those buying at wholesale are not being opportunistic in Ramadan, as is usually speculated but are just routinely working for profit.