Erdoğan vows to fight against exorbitant food prices

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said the government will fight against those who impose exorbitant prices, especially on food.

“We will definitely hold those who set their eyes on the people’s food and bread accountable. We do not and cannot sacrifice our determined struggle against inflation and the high cost of living to the price games of a few greedy people,” Erdoğan said in an address on the occasion of the Farmers’ Day at the Ankara Trade Chamber on May 14.

Drawing attention to the rise in food prices which cannot be explained by economic realities, Erdoğan said, “We have looked into the sham price hikes. It is everyone’s knowledge that these increases cannot be explained by market conditions. This is mainly because of opportunism.”

“We will give no respite to those who are eyeing on the people’s food,” he added.

On Türkiye’s agricultural development, Erdoğan recalled that his governments over the past 22 years have been investing heavily in agriculture and slammed those who suggest that “the agriculture in Türkiye has come to an end.”

“If this is not because of ignorance, it is because of ill intentions,” Erdoğan stated, vowing that they will launch a more planned agriculture in the coming period.

“We are establishing new agricultural sites where renewable energy will be used. We have expedited the formation of 41 organized agricultural sites,” he informed.

“We are making all our plans for the next 30 years. Not only our population is increasing, but so is the number of tourists. We have hosted 57 million foreigners last year. This year, it will be more than 60 million,” the president said, adding this will eventually increase the amount of food needed.

“The states have increasingly become more protectionist on food. This is becoming an irreplaceable sector. We are shaping our policies accordingly,” Erdoğan said, informing that more subsidies will be provided to the producers.