Based on this information, write a new short title in English: “It has been 20 months since the State Law was approved by the Parliament and they still do not have a statute” – BRTK

Union of Chambers of Turkish Cypriot Engineers and Architects (KTMMOB) Chamber of Agricultural Engineers stated that the only way to register the production and import of fresh vegetables and fruits is the Market Law, pointing out that 20 months have passed since the Law on Market Law was approved by the Parliament and they still do not have a statute, He demanded that the authorities explain why these regulations were not made.

Erkut Uluçam, President of the Chamber of Agricultural Engineers, in his written statement on the subject, said, “As long as the production and import of fresh vegetables and fruits are not registered, deciding how much of which product we should produce and how much we should import will be of no use other than lining the pockets of intermediaries in a vicious circle. The only way to register production and imports is the Market Law. “It has been exactly 20 months since the Law on Public Works was approved by the Parliament and they still do not have regulations… The authorities should explain to us why the regulations of the Law on Public Works have not been made.” he said.

– “Neither the producer nor the consumer is satisfied with the prices of tomatoes and potatoes in the market.”

Uluçam said, “Neither the producer nor the consumer is satisfied with the prices of tomatoes and potatoes in the market” and continued as follows:

“Because when the producer sees that the tomatoes and potatoes he gave to the merchant for 55 TL are sold for 110 TL in the market, he can see how little he earns when he adds the electricity, water, fertilizer, seedling, seed and labor costs of the tomatoes and potatoes he sells. In fact, when he receives the money for the product he sold months later, he cannot calculate how much TL that product was sold for that day. Do you have any complaints? Of course there is? Is there a contact person? No. Those in government are looking for seats.”

-The issue of “Release of vegetable and fruit imports”…

Uluçam pointed out that there have been some statements recently such as “we will free the import of all kinds of vegetables and fruits” and said:

“There are vegetables and fruits that are free to import from abroad for twelve months a year. For example, apple. Apples are currently sold for an average of 12 TL in Mersin. If you buy from the manufacturer, it is 10 TL. So, how much does it cost in our supermarket? 80 TL. Why are apples, whose imports are free for twelve months of the year, not cheap? The profit margin rate of the intermediary in the Law on Goods is 16 percent. It is clear why the Law on Goods is not wanted to be implemented with all kinds of excuses. My call to the authorities; “First of all, start by regulating the prices of vegetable and fruit products, the import of which is free for twelve months a year, and see if you can ensure that their prices are sold to the consumer at affordable prices.”

– “If agricultural electricity is not subsidized, production will decrease”

Uluçam said, “It is the cost of electricity that directly affects the cost of water, which is the main input for fresh vegetables and their production. Electricity prices have increased by 123 percent in the last 16 months from July 2023 to the present. The cost of electricity, which is the main element of vegetable and fruit production (irrigating and storing products), is 50 percent. In short, electricity costs constitute half the cost of the product produced by the manufacturer. The unit price of agricultural electricity in Turkey is 3.34 TL. In our case, it is 8.87 TL. “With a simple calculation, we are 2.65 times more expensive,” he said, adding, “If agricultural electricity is not subsidized in our country, production will decrease.”