TMO first exported and now will import

While domestic farmers await support, Turkish money continues to flow to foreign farmers. The Turkish Grain Board (TMO), which exported barley in May, has now decided to import 225,000 tons two months later. With the import decision made the day before, the price of domestic barley plummeted. Furthermore, the TMO will pay $235-242 per ton for barley, which companies would have delivered to the port at $195-205 per ton.

Mehmet Tahtasız, a member of the Turkish Grand National Assembly's State Owned Enterprises (SOE) Commission and CHP Çorum Deputy, stated that the import decision would hit Turkish farmers hard, asking, "Next year, there will be no barley farmers left. What is this government's problem with Turkish farmers?"

WHO WILL GET RICH?

Tahtasız, noting that there's some strange goings-on at the Turkish Grain Board (TMO), said: “Imported barley will arrive within 15 days at $195-205 per ton, delivered to the port. The TMO will pay $235-242 per ton. Certain companies that get advance notice of barley imports will make significant dollar-denominated profits within 15 days. If it's going to be imported, why aren't they doing it themselves? They're providing profits to intermediary firms. What's the government's problem with Turkish farmers? Which companies will get rich from these imports without throwing stones and straining their arms?”