A cry for help from the farmers of Mardin… There is no electricity, our cotton is drying in the field

Farmers living in the villages of Taşlık, Kırdirek, Yazır and Soylu in Mardin Savur stated that their cotton is in danger of drying up because approximately 25,000 acres of fields cannot be irrigated.

Aslan Öztürk, one of the aggrieved farmers who claimed that they could not irrigate their fields even though they did not owe electricity distribution company Dicle Elektrik Dağıtım A.Ş. Electricity is cut for at least 8 hours a day. It is given, then it is cut again. As the power went out for hours, our produce in our fields began to dry up. If we can’t irrigate in a day or two, our cotton will dry up on seedlings,” he said.

‘IF IT IS NOT IRRITATED IN TWO DAYS, THE PRODUCT WILL BE LEFT IN THE FIELD’

Öztürk stated that despite meeting many times with Dicle Elektrik Savur and Mardin officials, the issue was not resolved.

“We tell the authorities: ‘If we can’t irrigate our cotton in two days, there won’t be any crops left in the fields. Every time they say ‘OK, we’ll fix it’ and throw us out, the glitches don’t get fixed.

We pay our debt on time and we want to irrigate our fields when we need it. Because we make our living in agriculture. If these faults are not fixed and electricity is not supplied, then farmers have nothing to fix.

We shout ‘Help’ to Ankara. Otherwise, thousands of people will starve to death.”

As dozens of farmers complained about not being able to irrigate their fields, Dicle Elektrik Dağıtım A.Ş officials said, “There are problems everywhere. There are also cuts in Adana,” he defended the cuts.