Due to snow and adverse weather conditions, fruit and vegetable prices in Istanbul have increased. The treacherous weather has prevented goods lorries from entering Istanbul, meaning that the prices of tomatoes, lettuce, spring onions and green peppers have soared. Tomatoes are being sold from €1.50 a kilo, lettuce are being sold for €1.35 a piece. A representative of the Bostan Fruit and Vegetable Wholesale Traders Association in Istanbul, Burhan Er explains that the prices cannot return to normal until the weather conditions improve.
Snow caused price inflation
Due to hail, snow and adverse weather conditions, produce has not been able to reach Istanbul from production centres and this has been reflected in prices, Er states “Lorries of produce from Afyon and Bolu have remained on the road. Large retail chains have stocks of produce. They can use the adverse weather conditions to play with the prices as they wish. They can say that snow has caused the inflation.”
An increase in the prices of spinach, spring onions and lettuce is to be expected according to Er, “These vegetables cannot stand the cold. The shelf life of these products from the field to the consumer is short, so the weather conditions will increase the prices. For other produce the increase in price is due to the delay in them reaching Istanbul from the production centres.”
