Notes on the peasants struggle in Turkey
Featured image: protest camp at Bozluca source guards the water. Source: Yeni Demokrasi
Lately there were several reports regarding the problems and struggles of the peasantry in Turkey, on which we hereby publish some short notes:
Apricot growing peasants in Malatya protested in reaction to the sale of apricots at low prices due to the fact that the base price of apricots was not determined. This have caused producers to experience serious economic difficulties. The pain is fresh due to the earthquake disaster experienced last year, but the fact that apricot prices in Malatya were much lower than expected this year has created a great anger among the peasantry.
The decrease in apricot prices effects especially small peasants in their already difficult situation and causes them not to receive the reward of their labor. Especially the increase in fertilizer and pesticide prices doubled the costs. Additionally the liter diesel was sold at 19 lira last year, it has now reached 46 lira. Hence, the peasants cannot get the value of the apricots they produce and are forced to sell their products cheaply. Immediately demands were raised, as that the base price for apricots shall be determined as soon as possible, the debts of the peasants shall be postponed without interest, and they shall receive interest-free loans, and tax-reduction for the diesel they use.
In the Söğütlü District of Muğla’s Fethiye district, the Bozluca water source, is the only water source of the village. Due to the bad situation of irrigation in the area a struggle in particular against the Sekiyaka 2 Hydro Electric Power Plant (HEPP) develops. After it became known on August 5, that gendarmerie and construction teams were directed to the region the Söğütlü villagers started a watch to protect their water.
Fethiye District Governor İsmail Ertaş and Fethiye Mufti Kamil Oktay came to the region to calm down the situation. The villagers, during their meeting with Ertaş, were threatened by the HEPP official, that he will order their arrest. Ertaş instructed the gendarmerie and asked for the matter to be investigated. The villagers rejected the 90 liters/second offer on the grounds that it would not be enough for their irrigated areas, and Ertaş left the area. Afterwards construction equipment teams entered Akçay under the protection of the gendarmerie and started to work on changing the direction of the water. The police attacked the villagers who prevented the work. Also children in the area were attacked. Several villagers were taken into custody by being handcuffed and beaten. At least one suffered serious head injuries.
The problems experienced by peasants left their mark on the Peach Harvest Festival which was held in the Taurus Mountains in Mersin. In the past, nine or ten juice factories used to compete. Now they have established an association. Through that association, they make purchases from Istanbul and set prices without even contacting the peasants. At this rate, peasants will be unable to cultivate their land. Their income no longer feeds them and their families. Fruit juice prices are 5 TL, peaches on the branch are at 10 TL, quite below the production costs. Demands were raised especially against the monopoly and the sky-rocketing fertilizer prices.
It has been also reported that in Afyonkarahisar’s Dinar District potatoes were left to rot due to low purchase prices. It was said, that the situation is deplorable. “They buried us alive”, a peasant said. The peasants complain that the price of fuel increased from 14 TL to 46 TL, an increase in electricity prices, natural gas prices increased by 38 percent. Potatoes used to be sold for 11 TL but the recent price is just 3.5 TL while production costs are between 7 to 8 TL. A lot of peasants planting beets, potatoes and wheat are at a loss, Demands were raised to postponed the loans from banks without interest. Also because of the Inflation somewhere being between 113 per cent (Inflation Research Group (ENAG)) and 71 per cent (TUIK).
Facing similar conditions peasants in Karacabey and Mustafakemalpaşa districts of Bursa took action last Thursday, August 8, and blocked the Karacabey area of the Bursa-Balıkesir road with their tractors to draw attention to the price problem they were experiencing.
Peasants from Iğdır also raised their issues, stating that they could not cover the production costs of the melons and watermelons they grow. Additionally they denounced the plunder they face receiving 2 liras for the melons they grow while in the markets prices varying between 10-15 liras. 40-50 thousand tons of watermelons and 25-30 thousand tons of melons are produced annually in that region, but the costs for such things as fertilizer, diesel, medicine, transportation, cars, irrigation, drilling, electricity etc. exploded. Some said that the State kills the peasantry, mentioning that 10 years ago, the price of a kilogram of melon was 2 TL and still it is 2 TL, leading to some peasants being unable to afford to pay the seed and water. Seed prices increased on large scale over the crop prices, e.g. barley seeds are sold by the State-run General Directorate of Agricultural Enterprises (TİGEM) for 12 liras, while barley is bought by the TMO (State-run Turkish Grain Board) for only 7 liras.
