TÜİK's figures are not marketed

Cem YILDIRIM

Official inflation figures aren't reflected in neighborhood markets or supermarkets. The Cebeci Neighborhood Market, just 4 kilometers from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK)'s headquarters, is completely devoid of any figures. The number of people forced to leave the market empty-handed due to the plummeting prices of fruit and vegetables is increasing daily. Shopkeepers are complaining about their inability to do business, while citizens are complaining about the high prices. Citizens, forced to forget about buying by the kilogram and instead buy by the gram, have protested against TÜİK, saying, "TÜİK officials should come here, see the realities of life, and announce real inflation instead of rosy pictures."

PARSLEY WITH CARD

More and more people are shopping with credit cards at the markets every day. People who can't make ends meet can even buy a single sprig of parsley with their credit cards. Beans can fetch up to 100 lira per kilogram at the market, while people can even buy vegetables like zucchini and eggplant by the piece. Fruit prices were expected to drop during the summer season, but no fruit cheaper than 100-120 lira appeared on the stalls. At the Ankara Cebeci Neighborhood Market, a single peach costs 37 lira. Imported bananas have reached 200 lira per kilogram. Pears are priced at 100 lira per kilogram, nectarines are selling for 120-150 lira, and apples are selling for 100 lira.

Due to declining purchasing power and unstoppable food inflation, low-income people, forgetting to count per kilogram, can now buy 300-500 grams of fruits like peaches, apples, and grapes. Cherries have reached a price of 400 lira per kilogram.

While the market tradesmen said, "We are not bringing cherries anymore, no one could buy them at these prices, we had to keep them," citizens summarized the point food prices have reached by saying, "We have forgotten the taste of cherries."

'We will soon be trained on dry bread and onions'

Shopkeepers are complaining about the current state of sales. Shopkeeper Süleyman Aruk said, "Some people buy 250-300 grams of fruit and vegetables. They've wiped out the farmers, production is decreasing, and prices are rising. We'll soon be offering dried bread and onions."

Shopkeeper İsrafil Ertek said, "We used to sell our products for a 1 lira profit, but we still made money. Even low-income people would fill their bags. Now they can't even enter the market."

Shopkeeper Ahmet Ertaş said, "People who see the labels turn away. We installed a POS machine, and you can buy greens for 10 lira with a credit card, but no one has cash anyway." Enis Geçgel added, "Everything is bought in 300-500 grams. I used to sell 50 kilograms of peaches a day, but now it's a pipe dream."

Card shopping is increasing

The current level of food inflation has also impacted vegetable prices. Domestic beans are now priced at 100 lira per kilogram, while okra is at 200 lira. The number of people shopping with credit cards is also increasing.

37 LIRA EACH

A kilogram of peaches sells for 120-150 lira in the market. A kilogram contains a maximum of four peaches. Therefore, the price of a single peach reaches 37 lira. People can also buy peaches by the gram.

AMONG THE MOST EXPENSIVE

Figs are among the most expensive fruits at the Ankara Cebeci Neighborhood Market. A kilogram of figs sells for 200 lira. A half-kilo contains five figs. At some stalls, a kilogram of figs can fetch up to 300 lira.