Opposition Criticizes Government Over Agricultural Policies in Yozgat

Abdullah Yaşar, the founding provincial chairman of the YENİ Party in Yozgat, has sharply criticized the ruling government's agricultural policies during his visits with local farmers. Yaşar listened to the concerns of farmers in various districts and villages across Yozgat, a region known for its agricultural output.

Yaşar pointed out the precarious situation of Turkish farmers, who he said continue to cultivate crops using traditional methods passed down through generations. He lamented the government's lack of guidance and support, citing the example of onion production: "You planted onions last year, you dumped them in the river. You didn't plant onions this year. Citizens can't find onions. Now you're importing onions from abroad." He questioned why the support given to farmers in importing countries couldn't be provided to Turkish farmers, enabling them to stay and cultivate their land.

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You planted onions last year, you dumped them in the river. You didn't plant onions this year. Citizens can't find onions. Now you're importing onions from abroad. Why not give the support you give to farmers in the country you import from to the Turkish farmer, so they can stay in their homes, villages, and fields?

"Our large villages, our towns, they've all closed down, we're turning into hamlets. The average age of a farmer is 58, the youth have left. Who will work the land?" Yaşar asked, highlighting the demographic crisis in rural areas. He expressed frustration that while farmers, greengrocers, butchers, and everyone else are blamed for economic problems, the government and the President evade responsibility.

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Our large villages, our towns, they've all closed down, we're turning into hamlets. The average age of a farmer is 58, the youth have left. Who will work the land?

"After 25 years of the AK Party governing the country under President Erdoğan, who is to blame? The farmer is blamed, the greengrocer is blamed, the grocer is blamed, the butcher is blamed, the market is blamed, everyone is blamed, but the one running the country has no responsibility?" Yaşar stated. He questioned the government's role, asking, "There is inflation, the market is responsible. Meat is expensive, the butcher is responsible. Brother, what are you doing?" He added that citizens are afraid to voice their problems.

Yaşar also criticized the closure of the Toprak Mahsulleri Ofisi (TMO), the state's Soil Products Office, which he described as a "farmer's friend in dark days." He recalled that the TMO in his village used to purchase significant amounts of wheat and facilitate lentil exports. "We closed the offices and left the farmers to the mercy of traders," he said, contrasting this with the current system of licensed warehousing, which he claims benefits only a select few connected to the government.

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After 25 years of the AK Party governing the country under President Erdoğan, who is to blame? The farmer is blamed, the greengrocer is blamed, the grocer is blamed, the butcher is blamed, the market is blamed, everyone is blamed, but the one running the country has no responsibility?

He concluded by noting the paradox of Yozgat, a region that consistently votes for the ruling party but experiences significant out-migration, leading to a halving of its population and parliamentary representation. "Is there nothing being done? Yes, there is. Thank God. But it seems the choices are not for the citizens, not for the producers. You cannot revive Yozgat without reviving agriculture. We are an agricultural country, an agricultural province."

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We closed the offices and left the farmers to the mercy of traders.