In Tokat, early cherries are sold for ₺9 in the field and ₺20 in the markets.
Kemalpasa village, which is connected to the center, is an important market with cherry production. Cherry production is carried out on an area of 59,870 decares in the village.
Early and late cherry fruits find buyers in the domestic and international markets. Cherries collected in the village where the early cherry harvest is made are consumed in the domestic market.
Cherries, which are sold for₺ 7-9 in the field, can find buyers for ₺12 in peddlers and ₺20 in markets. Farmer Hasan Serin (60) complained about the price difference between the field and the market. Saying that the reseller makes money, Serin said, “We cannot sell cherries at their worth. In the meantime, the reseller wins. We do not get what we pay for.”
“WE HARVEST THEM OURSELVES”
Cherry prices are between ₺7-9 depending on their quality, and they are sold in markets for ₺20. We collect it ourselves because of the high costs. That’s how we can earn money.”
Aziz Dogan, one of the villagers, claimed that the cost of cherries did not save due to the increase in the prices of pharmaceuticals and diesel. Dogan said, “We go out to the field in the early hours of the morning in order not to pay workers’ wages. We can’t stand it. There is nothing left for us when we give money to the worker. That’s why we’re harvesting it ourselves.”
Source: NTV / Translated by Irem Yildiz