A grower in Diyarbakir, located in southeastern Turkey, has dumped tons of tomatoes because he has not been able to sell it due to low prices.
Ismail Menek, a grower for 27 years, complained about current tomato prices and added: “We are always in trouble. Right now we can not even cover the cost of the tomato seedlings we have purchased for production. I’m desperate to sell but cannot find any buyers. We have a lot of difficulties finding a market place or channel to sell our products. Tomato prices peak in winter months but for growers like us who harvest in summer due to climate conditions, we lose a lot of money. I have grown tomatoes in 17 hectares but now I’m either dumping them or using them to feed animals. I hope the state will help us and save us from going bankrupt.”
Source: Yeni Akit