It was a dream to reach meat and yoghurt… Increase in milk prices is expected

Increasing costs are also pushing the milk producer. Raw milk reference price is expected to increase. The expectation in the backstage is 13 liras. It is noted that milk and yoghurt prices will increase even more in the coming days.

Yogurt, which was 10 lira in June 2021, is sold for 30 lira today. CHP Manisa Deputy Bekir Başevirgen, who wants no one to be surprised if milk and yoghurt increase by 50 percent in a few months, said, “Turks who find yoghurt can no longer eat yoghurt.”

CHP’s Başevirgen emphasized that the annual inflation in agricultural inputs is 40.20 percent according to TÜİK, and that the cost increase in the livestock sector, which is the sub-branch of agriculture, is not below this rate. Başevirgen stated that especially feed prices, energy prices and labor costs are constantly increasing, and as a result, milk and dairy products are constantly increasing. Pointing out that 1 kg of yogurt, which was around 10 liras in June 2021, was sold for 20 liras in June 2022 and 30 liras in June 2023, Başevirgen said, “We see that our people, who are condemned to live on minimum wage, have difficulty even buying yogurt. Looking at the latest data of TUIK, yogurt production decreased by 7.1 percent in April of this year compared to the same month of the previous year. “Unfortunately, Turks who find yogurt can no longer eat yogurt,” he said.

EXPECTATION 13 LIRA

Başevirgen noted that input costs will increase and accordingly dairy products will increase further. Noting that the raw milk reference price determined by the National Dairy Council is 8.5 liras, Başevirgen reported that the National Dairy Council is expected to meet this week to increase the reference price. Explaining that the raw milk price was suppressed at the expense of the producer before the election, Başevirgen said, “The government also knows that they can’t keep it at these prices anymore. The expectation of milk producers is 13 liras. If a price close to expectations is determined, it is only a matter of time before additional hikes in dairy products. Let’s say from the beginning that neither the manufacturer, the industrialist nor the markets are guilty of this. In our opinion, it is essential that the raw milk price be 13 liras in order for our producers to cover the costs and to prevent the slaughter of breeding animals.

“What is the government doing while the producer is swept away in the cycle of credit-debt-execution, the industrialist in the exchange rate-interest, and our consumers in the cycle of inflation and baseless promises?” Başevirgen asked, adding that red meat and live animals were imported, but the increase in meat prices could not be stopped. Başevirgen noted that milk producers were almost left to their fate.

“NO ONE WOULD BE SURPRISE IF THERE IS A 50 PERCENT RISE”

Reminding that TMO, which sells discounted grain to the livestock sector by making a duty loss before the election, gave up this practice after the new Minister of Treasury and Finance took office, Başevirgen continued as follows:

“As a result of this, feed prices, which are currently around 8 liras per kilo, will increase considerably. Unfortunately, these increases in meat prices also tempt dairy producers and cause the slaughter of animals. Decreases in the number of animals and increases in feed prices will affect our milk production much more negatively.”

Saying, “No one should be surprised if there is a 50 percent increase in milk and yoghurt in a few months,” Başevirgen pointed out that the average raw milk in Europe is 0.5 Euros and carcass meat is 5 Euros. Başevirgen, stating that raw milk is 8.5 liras and carcass meat is 230 liras in Turkey, said, “If the same ratio was made in our country, the price of raw milk would have been 23 liras. But our contented milk producers are willing to pay 13 liras. If they refuse to give even this, it should be known that the country’s livestock is being betrayed.”