Price hikes rain hellfire down on Turkish consumers
In his recent statement to the Turkish newspaper SÖZCÜ, President of the Consumer Rights Association, Turhan Çakar said, “TPrice hikes rain hellfire down on Turkish consumers. There has never been such an expensiveness in the history of this country. The purchasing power of consumers has decreased tremendously. Hunger and poverty have also skyrocketed.”
Çakar said, “In the history of the Republic, such expensiveness has not happened before. The purchasing power of consumers has plummeted. Last year alone, fruit prices increased by 150 percent. Vegetable prices also increased by 240 percent.” he said.
Çakar made the following statements:
COMMODITIES: High price hikes in electricity, natural gas, and fuel affect everything in the consumer market. Employee salary raises melted in the first month. 50.8 million people live below the poverty threshold, 25.4 million citizens live below the hunger line; meaning almost 90 percent of the population is below the hunger and poverty threshold.
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS: Increases in electricity cause an increase in food production costs, prices of crops, and imported goods. The surging cost of fertilizers, pesticides, fuel oil, diesel increase the prices of agricultural products and consequently affects the purchasing power of consumers. From farm to table, the average product prices quintupled. Citizens cannot afford to eat fresh vegetables and fruits. The purchasing power of Turkish consumers has decreased tremendously.
WAGE HIKES: In such a case, the minimum wage has increased by 50 percent. The salaries of employees increased by 30 percent approximately. These wage hikes cannibalized by January. We are experiencing the most expensive period in the history of the Republic of Turkey. Therefore, hunger and poverty in the country skyrocketed as a consequence.
sozcu.com.tr
Translation: Cem Cetinguc