02.06.2025 11:33
In Adana, where Turkey's earliest potatoes are grown, the harvest is ongoing, and the products are being collected in the fields by special workers known as "loaders" and loaded onto trucks. Workers who load an average of 250-300 tons of potatoes in a day earn a daily wage of 2,500 lira. The workers, who state that they earn between 90,000 and 100,000 lira monthly, mentioned that not everyone can do this job and that many young people are picky about employment.
In Adana, one of Turkey's most important agricultural production centers, the harvest of early potatoes began 3 weeks ago. The early potatoes, planted on an area of 70,000 acres, are loaded onto trucks by a special group of workers after being collected from the fields. Despite the onset of the African heat after the harvest began, workers manage to load an average of 100 tons of potatoes onto trucks in a single day, ensuring their delivery to all provinces across the country, especially Istanbul and Ankara. Workers, who earn an average of 2,500 lira per day, stated that they are not complaining about the money they earn or the work they do.
"WE LOAD 300 TONS OF POTATOES"
Rüstem Aldemir (25), who came to Adana for potato harvesting from Niğde, said, "Our job is a bit difficult. We came here to carry goods from Niğde. Our daily earnings range from 2,000 to 2,500 lira. As a team, we load 250-300 tons of potatoes daily. This is our job; there is nothing else to do. We start working in Adana and then go to Niğde, where we also work in warehouses during the winter," he explained.
"WE EARN 100,000 LIRA A MONTH"
Aldemir, who noted the risk of developing a herniated disc at an older age, said, "We are still young, but we will face serious back problems in the future. If we leave here and get a regular job, we cannot make ends meet with the minimum wage; at least here, we manage well with a monthly income of 90,000-100,000 lira," he stated.
Murat Karakeytir (42) also mentioned, "I have been working as an agricultural laborer since I was 12 years old. On average, 20-25 tons of potatoes are loaded per person daily. We face risks of back pain, varicose veins, and many other diseases, but there is nothing we can do; we earn our bread here. We earn 2,500 lira a day. We work 20-23 days a month. The work we do is hard; it is a job that only a few out of a thousand can do," he said.
"YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD STUDY AND GO TO VOCATIONAL SCHOOL"
Karakeytir also pointed out that young people do not appreciate jobs, saying, "We have been doing this job since we were little. For someone without a profession, there are no other jobs besides these. They will either go work in a factory for minimum wage or come here to work. There is a serious skills gap in our country. Young people should study and go to vocational school. I have built my house and married off my daughter by doing this job. Do not underestimate the work you do; show effort," he concluded.