Mehmet Nizam, President of the Farmers Union, stated that the increase in diesel fuel at planting time is an hindrance to the producers and made a statement: “In the face of this mentality that wants to end production, the farmer is resisting in order to produce.”
Mehmet Nizam, President of the Farmers Union, made a written statement about the increase in diesel oil.
Nizam, in his written statement, argued that the economic crisis and war affected the world, and that the government in the TRNC was the obstacle to production, while the other countries gave the most importance to production during the crisis processes.
Noting that diesel prices have increased despite the decrease in Brent oil prices, Nizam said, “As of today, the diesel price has reached 26.94 TL and has received a 2 TL increase.”
Nizam stated that the farmers who are in the planting preparations could not do the plowing operations properly, that the plant development would be adversely affected and this would directly affect the yield, and that while the diesel price was 18 TL in the last harvest period, the grain prices were determined, but the diesel price was increased by 5 TL while the harvest was in progress. He said it went up to 23 TL.
Reminding that the input costs naturally increased, but there was no change in the grain prices, Nizam said, “The government betrayed the producer in that day, as it is today.”
Nizam continued his statement as follows:
“The direct income support provided to the producer in the 2021-2022 season has been announced as 100 TL/acre. 15 percent of this is to be deducted from the General Agricultural Insurance. In other words, the support that the producer will receive per acre is 85 TL. Half of this amount was paid to the producer only yesterday, and when the other half will be paid is a great uncertainty.
The purchase price of 50 kg of fertilizer is 835 TL, and the forward price is 945 TL, provided that the producer, who will throw his manure on his fields at the time of planting, is paid in advance from Koop Levazım.
When these costs are taken into account, considering that most producers will make deferred purchases and 25 kg of fertilizer will be spent per acre, only fertilizer cost of 472 TL emerges.
A system that puts 1 cent into a producer’s pocket and takes 10 cents from the other pocket is not a supporter of production, but only a stumbling block.
In the face of this mentality that wants to end production, the farmer resists in order to produce.”