Markets became like jewelry stores.

Cem YILDIRIM

The last point of purchasing power has almost ended an era in market purchases. CHP Manisa MP Bekir Başevirgen stated that according to United Metal-İş Union Research Center (BİSAM) data from March 2023, the cost of a healthy and balanced diet for a family of four exceeds TL 325 per day. it was advertised as the 754 TL.

Basevirgen, who said: “As a result of the government’s economic policies, the economic crisis is deepening and people are becoming poorer,” Başevirgen said, “The fall in wages and the decrease in purchasing power are felt more when buying . for food. Citizens look at the labels for minutes in the market and leave empty-handed. Products are now taken by grain. Citizens who go to the market pay money from the world for bags that are not even half full, ”he said.

Başevirgen, who used the expressions “The budget that families must allocate only for nutrition is 9 thousand 752 TL per month” and said: “The minimum wage is 8 thousand 506, the lowest pension is 7 thousand 500 TL. Considering that approximately 65 percent of the country lives on the minimum wage, it is possible to say that the income is not even enough to feed themselves, and that families only seek to feed themselves.

MEAT IS DREAM

Noting that milk prices in the markets increased by 640 percent in five years, Başevirgen said: “The increase in yogurt was 617 percent and in white cheese 910 percent. Feta cheese has risen to 150 lira and yoghurt to 50 lira,” he said.

Recalling that the weight of the ground meat increased to 300 TL, Başevirgen said, “It has already become a dream. After meat prices, citizens turned to chicken meat, but the weight of the chicken was 100 lire.

9,750 TL ARE NEEDED JUST TO FEED A FAMILY OF 4 PEOPLE CHP’s Bekir Başevirgen said: “Minimum wages and millions of retirees are not even enough for a healthy diet. Citizens look at the labels and go blank,” he said.

‘4 minimum wages are not enough’

Recalling that food prices continue to rise in Turkey, contrary to the global trend, CHP’s Başevirgen said: “Citizens no longer have access to any food product, from meat to milk, from legumes to vegetables. The poverty line, which covers all the monthly expenses of a family such as rent, bills, transportation, education, health and clothing, rose to 33,754 liras. In other words, 4 minimum wages are no longer enough for poverty”.

Bekir Basevirgin (left)

The cost of menemen increased to 70 lira.

CHP Manisa MP Bekir Başevirgen stated that according to BİSAM data, families should spend 61.26 lira per day on the fruit and vegetable group and said, “Citizens were surprised what they would eat in the group Made of veggies. Tomatoes are 25 lire, peppers 35, onions 25, potatoes 18, courgettes 20, carrots 23, spinach 13, eggplants 28 lire in the markets. Onion, which increased by 101% in the first three months of 2023, reached 30 TL in some places. The saying, ‘If we don’t find anything, we’ll eat menemen’ has also faded into history. Today, the cost of menemen has risen to at least 70 lira,” he said.