CHP Edirne Deputy Okan Gaytancıoğlu said that according to the data of the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK), milk production has decreased by 15 percent and that dairy cows will continue to be slaughtered if the producer is not supported. Gaytancıoğlu said, “We were saying that there would be a problem with milk. Manufacturers get very low prices. He’s trying to eat, he can’t make money. We said ‘dairy animals will be slaughtered’. Since milk production has decreased by 15 percent, one of every 6 cows has been slaughtered.
CHP Edirne Deputy Okan Gaytancıoğlu met with Yüksel Türkel, who produces milk in the family business in Havsa district of Edirne today. Listening to the problems of the producer, Gaytancıoğlu made the following assessment regarding milk production and the announced Producer Price Index data:
“MANUFACTURER’S COSTS INCREASED”
“The Turkish Statistical Institute has announced two data. The first data is milk production, which fell 15 percent. We’ve been saying it for years. We used to say ‘there will be a problem with milk’. Manufacturers get very low prices. He’s trying to eat, he can’t make money. We said ‘dairy animals will be slaughtered’. Since milk production decreased by 15 percent, one of every 6 cows was slaughtered. If there are 18 million dairy animals in Turkey, 3 million of them are gone. Here we get it. Also, the Producer Price Index was announced, 169 percent. Producer’s costs increased, but the National Dairy Council gave you a price of 8 and a half liras. Despite this, you sell milk for 9 and a half liras in the market. You sell it at auction. So the National Dairy Council no longer functions. Why is food inflation not falling? If you do not support the producer, prices will increase on the basis of producers and the number of dairy animals will decrease. Milk production drops, these are very dangerous numbers. We need to support the farmer. Is there any other way out? No.”
“OUR COSTS ARE INCREASE EVERY DAY”
Expressing that the input costs of the producer have increased, producer Yüksel Türkel said:
“Last year it was around 200-220. This year it exceeded 400 lira. Although we haven’t received it yet, 9 and a half lira is new, but we haven’t received that money yet. Until we get that money, our feed costs are going up every day. 4 sacks of feed is over 1,500 liras. 400-500 liras when we open the barn door. A bale of grass is 100 pounds, a bale of straw is 50-60 pounds. It goes 400-500 liras every day. We can’t get that much milk yield.”
