The prices of olives are falling in the fields, but the prices of olive oil keep increasing in the supermarkets.

Olive producers in Osmaniye, who complain about the drop in olive prices, said, "The crop is better than last year. Our costs have increased compared to last year. Last year, they were buying a tin of olive oil for around 3,500 lira, this year it has dropped even lower. We think it will drop even more. We are victims in this matter. The producer is devastated," said Oğuz Erdoğan.

"COSTS HAVE INCREASED COMPARED TO LAST YEAR"

Olive producers in Osmaniye are complaining about the drop in prices. Oğuz Erdoğan, who produces olives in the Hemite village of Osmaniye, stated that the price of olive oil has fallen below last year's levels. Oğuz Erdoğan said: "I am an olive producer. I have a thousand olives. We have started harvesting. The crop is better compared to last year. We don't have much product. Costs have increased compared to last year. If we were doing one last year, we are doing two and a half this year in terms of costs. Our costs include pesticides, fertilizers, pruning, labor costs, fuel, etc. Our costs are very high. Last year, labor was around 400 lira, this year it has become 1,000 lira. Last year, they were buying a tin of olive oil wholesale for around 3,500 lira, this year it has dropped even lower. We think it will drop even more. We are victims in this matter. The producer is devastated."

"OUR PEOPLE ARE DEVASTATED, WE ARE DEVASTATED"

Another producer, İsmail Saygılı, also stated: "I have been dealing with this olive harvesting business for years. I bring and take workers. I help collect the olives of our friends who have olive groves. Producers are very victimized. It doesn't even cover last year's expenses. We haven't even sold the oil we bought for 3,500 lira; there are no buyers. This year, the costs are going even lower than that. What will our producer brothers do? Last year, I gave my friends 50 tins, 40 tins of oil, and this year they received 3 tins each. My consumer brothers say, 'oil is very expensive.' They say, 'there is no money.' Let's see what we will do? Our people are devastated, we are devastated. We don't even know what to do. We say, 'let's take the diesel for this price to the producer brother's field,' and they say, 'it's very expensive.' We are also facing them, the public. I don't know what we need to do anymore."

WHILE PRICES DROP IN THE FIELD, THEY RISE IN THE MARKET

The price of cold-pressed olive oil was sold at an average of 115 lira per liter in 2023. In 2024, prices range from 350 lira to 600 lira. Farmers state that the prices of the olives and olive oil they produce are being bought from them below last year's levels, while the price of olive oil in markets has increased by more than 100% in the last year, highlighting the imbalance.