Fruit and veg producers in ‘dire straits’

FRUIT and vegetable producers are in “dire straits” because of the Covid-19 pandemic, “insufficient” income support and high costs.

Cyprus Turkish Citrus Producers’ Union Head Ali Alioğlu stated that citrus production has a “great importance” and “contributes to the economy of the country”, but that “direct income support” from the state for citrus producers is “not only insufficient but not paid on time”.

Mr Alioğlu stated that “input costs are very high” and even though the lands of Güzelyurt are “very fertile”, production rates have been decreasing since the 1980s as the government has targeted greater support to the higher education and tourism sectors.

The views were echoed by Cyprus Turkish Olive and Olive Oil Producers’ and Industrialists’ Union leader Ziya Sezeym who said that producers are “working their best” to produce the “best quality olives and olive oil”, but where held back by “problems in terms of consumption of the products”.

Besides production costs, olive and olive oil producers also struggled to export their produce and called for greater support from the state, he added.

Potato Producers’ Union chairman Engin Halkseven said that potato producers have been “complaining for three years” that the income support they receive is insufficient and that sales are down because of the decrease of consumer numbers due to the lack of university students. Labourers returning to Turkey during the lockdown period also caused problems, Mr Halseven stated.

The head of the Tatlısu Greenhouse Owners’ Union Mithat Kargı said that the biggest problem is “high input costs” which are reflected through in the “high prices of tomatoes”. Mr Kargı also indicated that the fall in the value of the Turkish lira is another problem and that deliveries of tomato seeds, which are imported from Turkey, can cost at least 1,000TL.