In the greenhouses they are attempting to grow tomatoes, although it will be another month before they reach the markets, and on the market stalls there is not enough of the product, add to this the exorbitant prices that the product is sold for, and it is not surprising that tomato growers are furious.
The government should take measure to prevent the population from being overcharged, stated producers while emphasising that it made no sense for the government to give permission for tomatoes to be brought from Turkey, only to revoke it the following day.
Mehmet Uzunkaya, a grower from Famagusta, stated that tomatoes cannot be found in shops nor on the markets. "There is still one month until greenhouse tomatoes are ready. The tomatoes being sold for exorbitant prices in the shops are not even fit for animal feed. In short, the population is being ripped off," he said.
Carrying on with his statement, Mehmet Uzunkaya pointed out that in Northern Cyprus, tomatoes are grown in three regions. "From these three districts there is still not enough being produced. The tomatoes are there in Turkey, right under our noses. In Mersin, tomatoes being sold for 90 cents can find buyers here who will pay €1.80. The government gave permission to import tomatoes from Turkey. Yet the following day took it back. If the much needed tomatoes are there, why was permission to import them removed?"
Source: detaykibris.com