While the export ban on tomato paste, one of the products for which an export ban was imposed last year, continues, the excess production in tomato paste this year has caused both the prices to fall and the product to remain in the field. The heads of the agricultural chambers in Aegean province of Manisa came together in Şehzadeler District Chamber of Agriculture and made a statement about the problems and solution suggestions.
“We are waiting for an urgent solution”
Releasing a statement on behalf of the Provincial Coordination Board of Manisa Chambers of Agriculture, Hüseyin Altındağ, Head of Şehzadeler District Chamber of Agriculture, said, “Our farmers are making losses in all agricultural products during the harvest period we are experiencing as of the current season. The reason why we are experiencing the worst harvest period of recent years is the wrong agricultural policies. When the price of the products we grow rises, exports are banned or imported. Factories that process and export agricultural products along with our producers are going bankrupt. Since the agricultural supports given to products such as wheat, cotton and corn is low, our farmers cannot plant them. While importing these products from outside, products such as tomatoes, peppers, melons and watermelons, which we grow surplus to our needs, remain in the field.”
“If these conditions are not improved, our farmers cannot continue to produce and have to sell their fields and tractors. An urgent solution must be found especially for tomato paste. We hope that solution-oriented measures will be taken urgently between the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and tomato paste factories,” Altındağ warned…