FARMERS EXPECT 10 LIRAS FOR RAISINS WHILE TMO AS A MARKET MAKER...

Pakdemirli: We will not victimize seedless raisin producers in 2019/20 season

All parties of seedless raisin of which is Turkey the world leader, farmers, traders and exporters came together with Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Dr. Bekir Pakdemirli at the Aegean Exporters Association in Izmir.

Producers want 10 TL for grapes...

Speaking at the meeting, representatives of Chambers of Agriculture expressed the producer's expectation of raisin prices for the 2019/20 season as 10 TL.

Celep: Let TMO purchase 20 thousand tons of grapes, Turkey's exports increase 80 million dollars

Birol Celep, Chairman of the Board of Aegean Dried Fruit and Products Exporters' Association, said: "10 TL price expectation of producers is reasonable. What we demand from TMO (Turkish Grain Board) to purchase 20 thousand tons of raisins in order not to go below this price level. We have just delivered this demand to Bekir Pakdemirli and TMO General Manager Ahmet Güldal."

Stating that there exists a higher yield expectation in 2019/20 season, Celep underlined that it did pressure on prices, "If TMO serves as a balance in the market by purchasing 20 thousand tons of raisin, FX that Turkey might earn through raisin exports increases 70-80 million dollars at least" he noted.

TMO should be a market maker without harm...

"I am a seedless raisin producer myself. I'm one of you who knows the problems of the industry. We will work to make TMO a market maker in the raisin sector without damaging it. TMO regulated the sector before entering the market last year. Producers have been making profit for 2 years, we will do what is necessary to avoid damaging this year. If TMO should enter the market this year, how many liras should it enter, how much product it has to buy, that's math. We will work on this and take the necessary steps. I want to share the message with the public strongly that we will not lower the price of grapes. ”