Farmers planting onions in Çınar, district of Diyarbakır stated that they cannot find the market where they can sell the onion they are growing so that tons of onion rotted on the fields.
Farmers who had to sell their products on the domestic market very cheaply said they could not export because of the unstable conditions caused by the rumors that the Habur Border Gate could be closed recently.
Hasan Özdemir, one of the farmers, said, “We have had onions this year. Almost half of the onions remain in the fields. Actually, most of the onions rot in the fields. I am criticizing the government's agriculture policy. If anything is being produced in a country, the government or state authorities should open the export routes accordingly and support the farmers.”
“My onions are on the field”
Ahmed Demir, who stated that they are waiting for the help of the authorities to sell the onions they produce, said: “My onions are now on the field. I need to wait. I expect help from government authorities and all institutions related to this work to get these onions out of the way. For example, we expect from the government to buy all these onions how they buy all nuts which produce in Karadeniz region. If we cannot sell the onions on the field, they will all go to the garbage.”
“Now the farmer is in loose”
Demir added that they could not export because of the rumors about the closing of Habur Border Gate, “Recently, the export has come to a standstill with the effect of the referendum. Habur Border Gate should not be closed.”
ILKHA