18.06.2025 11:50
The vendor İlker Çiçek, who became a topic of discussion in Eskişehir with the label stating "One cherry is 10 TL," reacted by claiming that the label was politicized by CHP member Cenk Sungur. Çiçek, who placed the label as a joke to reduce the number of people tasting the cherries, found it distorted and said, "This is the first time I've seen politics being made with cherries." He stated that cherries are not sold by the piece and that the price per kilogram is 600 TL.
Ilker Çiçek, a vendor at the local market in Eskişehir, stated that he was saddened by the distortion of the label on his stall that read "One cherry is 10 TL," which was shared by CHP Municipal Council Member Cenk Sungur. He said, "I have seen politics being made with cherries, plums, and salads for the first time in Turkey, in Eskişehir."
"THIS PEOPLE DOES NOT DESERVE THIS"
Vendor Ilker Çiçek, while selling at his stall, was photographed by CHP Municipal Council Member Cenk Sungur, who was present at the market, taking a picture of the label that read "One cherry is 10 TL." Sungur shared the photo on his social media account, noting, "Cherries are sold by the piece: 10 TL! In the AKP's Turkey, fruit is now worth its weight in gold. Soon we will enter the era of 'quarter bananas' and 'half olives.' This people does not deserve this."
CLAIM OF DISTORTION OF THE LABEL BY THE VENDOR
Vendor Ilker Çiçek, who learned about the situation, expressed his sadness over the shared posts and comments, stating that the situation was distorted. He described the "One cherry is 10 TL" label as a measure taken to reduce the number of citizens tasting the cherries at his stall.
"WE SELL BY THE KILO, NOT BY THE PIECE"
Speaking about the issue, vendor Ilker Çiçek said, "The reality of the situation is this: We sell cherries by the kilo, but citizens, whether they are buying or not, come here to fill their stomachs. Some people have no intention of buying cherries; they just grab handfuls or a family of five comes and each takes 2 or 3 cherries. As a result, they leave without buying cherries, which affects our profit. Right now, cherries are 600 TL per kilo. We put a label stating that one cherry is 10 TL so that people do not eat and leave from the stall without buying. In fact, those who see that label do not buy our cherries. We do not sell cherries by the piece; we sell them by the kilo. So, both the buyer and the seller are buying by the kilo. Everyone knows that cherries are not sold by the piece. We just took a precaution; it was irony," he said.
"I HAVE SEEN POLITICS BEING MADE WITH CHERRIES, PLUMS, AND SALADS FOR THE FIRST TIME"
Speaking about the dialogue between him and Cenk Sungur, the CHP Municipal Council Member, Çiçek said, "Yesterday, the CHP Council Member came. He only took a picture of that piece label and did not capture the entire label. The price per kilo was also written there. We even told him that in the market, cucumbers are 5 TL, tomatoes are 10-20 TL, and that a few months ago, when there was a frost, they made politics with cucumbers and zucchinis in the same way, reflecting that their price was 100 TL, and now no one is buying cucumbers. We said that no one is buying salad right now. They only took that label and left. After the posts on social media, I felt bad. They distorted the situation a lot and took it to that level. I have seen politics being made with cherries, plums, and salads for the first time in Turkey, in Eskişehir," he stated.
"CITIZENS ALREADY KNOW WHAT IS WHAT"
Expressing his sadness over the comments on social media, vendor Çiçek said, "The people are already conscious; they know what is what. I looked at all the comments on social media. Citizens know that there was a frost and that prices have become expensive this way. In fact, many citizens wrote that we took this precaution so that they wouldn't eat them. I emphasized, 'Do not make politics with cherries, plums, and vegetables.' The citizens who buy already know what is what. They still buy for tasting."