Özcan called on Parliament to take action regarding the problems faced by lemon growers

Gizem Özcan, attorney, Deputy Chair of the YENİ Party and Member of Parliament for Muğla, brought the marketing and economic challenges faced by lemon producers—particularly in the districts of Dalaman, Ortaca, and Köyceğiz—to the attention of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM). Özcan submitted a written question requesting a response from Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı, drawing attention to the hardships faced by producers due to rising costs, a lack of buyers, and low prices.

“Producer price: 7 TL; retail price: 51.34 TL”

Noting that there are insufficient buyers, particularly for Enterdonat lemons, and that producers are forced to leave their crops on the trees, Özcan stated, “Producers in the region indicate that the production cost per kilogram of Enterdonat lemons has reached approximately 10 TL.” According to September 2026 data from the Union of Turkish Agricultural Chambers, the average producer price for lemons across Turkey was 7 TL, while the retail price was 51.34 TL. The 633.4 percent price difference between the producer and the consumer highlights the scale of the problems in the marketing chain,” he said.

"The Turkish Grand National Assembly should investigate the problems faced by lemon producers"

In addition to the questions he directed to the Ministry, Özcan also submitted a motion for an investigation to ensure that the problems faced by lemon producers are comprehensively addressed by the Assembly. Calling for an investigation into the economic hardships faced by producers in Dalaman, Ortaca, and Köyceğiz, Özcan said, “The Turkish Grand National Assembly should investigate the problems faced by lemon producers.”

In the motion for an investigation, Özcan also called for an examination of rising input costs, marketing, and storage issues, and requested that support mechanisms be established to ensure income security for producers.

Five Questions from Özcan to Minister Yumaklı

Emphasizing that it is becoming increasingly difficult for producers—who face the risk of selling their products below cost or being unable to sell them at all—to pay their debts and prepare for the next production season, Özcan said that these problems threaten regional employment and the sustainability of agricultural production. Bringing these issues to the Parliament’s agenda, Özcan posed the following questions to Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı, requesting a response:

1. What measures is your Ministry taking to address the marketing and pricing issues faced by Enterdonat lemon producers in the Dalaman, Ortaca, and Köyceğiz districts of Muğla? Are there any efforts underway to establish publicly supported purchasing mechanisms or to provide purchase guarantees to producers in order to prevent produce from remaining unsold on the trees?
2. Given the rising costs of fertilizer, pesticides, diesel, irrigation, energy, and labor, what is the amount and scope of the current support provided to lemon producers? Are there plans to provide additional direct income or production support during the 2026 harvest season to help producers cover their costs and compensate for income losses?
3. Will any measures be implemented to defer, interest-free, the debts of lemon producers—who are unable to market their products or are forced to sell them below production costs—to the Agricultural Bank and Agricultural Credit Cooperatives; to subsidize loan interest rates; and to provide financing on favorable terms for the new production season?
4. Are there plans to establish a special support program to alleviate the burden on producers resulting from harvesting labor, packaging, transportation, and storage costs? What efforts are being undertaken to increase grants and investment support for producer cooperatives’ cold storage facilities, packaging plants, and direct marketing infrastructure?
5. What incentive and support mechanisms are being implemented to expand sales opportunities for Enterdonat lemons in domestic and international markets, reduce export costs, and develop new export markets? Are there plans to establish a sustainable agricultural support and marketing policy that takes into account producers’ costs and their need to earn a reasonable income, while ensuring price stability?