meat prices going up by 10%

[cheers]

I don't know the price of meat in Spain, all I know is I only pay £5+ for a kilo of mince, £8+ for a joint of beef, £14 for Angus Rib Eye.  Chicken breast £7.  Smoked cod fillet £8.
As you say Mr 'H' everything is relative and going on the current prices in Turkey I ask again are they pricing themselves out of the market?  A piece in todays Mirror says more people are staying at home this year, and with the high cost of flights to Turkey any ideas on what will happen?

[nichola]

This a prime example of market forces at their worst. Demand is high, supplies are low therefore the price goes up!

I understand that there is a 'meat cartel' in Turkey with a huge lobby and ties to govt that protect their interests, hence the no meat imports.

We can't work out who is actually benefitting. Three butchers went bust in Mugla just this week.

When Dogan was in the butchers expressing the opinion that Turkey should allow meat imports if only for the six months of the summer season a farmer who happened to be there declared he doesn't make money already and this would put him out of business. I am sure you can imagine the sound level of the debate that followed!!!

We have been in touch with butchers outside of this area (we don't buy meat in winter when it is cheap and freeze it as this would affect the quality of what we want to provide) and prices have gone up everywhere, not just here.

This is a real dilema for businesses here and I wonder after the economic crisis last year (never mind the fact that currently there are no flights in or out of Turkey for who knows how long) how many places will survive this season.

Incidently I have a mate with friends who having lived in Spain, can no longer afford to and are returning to the UK and last summer they stocked up on meat to take back to Spain instead of the normal Primark shopping because a. shops had run out of meat and b. prices for what little there had been had gone through the roof.

[Scunner]

As I see it, you have to choose between the ideal - allowing free import and export - and the not so ideal - protecting by not allowing imports and not allowing exports. To allow farmers to export while protecting them from foreigners doing the same back will result in...well, it will result in exactly what Turkey is finding right now.

[nichola]

By the way I don't think Turkey is getting ready for the Euro. The cost of living here has always been relatively high compared to the average income for most Turkish people.

That's why many Turks grow their own veg and keep chickens, goats and a few sheep make their own bread, butter, cheese and yoghurt, not to forget jams and pickles and pekmez, keep bees for honey and produce their own olive oil and have fruit trees in their gardens.  

[nichola]

One of Europe's conditions on entry is that Turkey dramatically reduces its agriculture production.

Why becaue it would have to then provide the same agriculture subsidies that it gives to other European countries. Just one reason why much food including, in fact particularly meat is cheap in the UK.

The impact on Turkey would be that it then puts thousands of people out of work and makes it more dependant on imports.

Greece doesn't want Turkey in the EU not because of Cyprus but because it would then have to share European markets for yoghurt and feta cheese and olive oil just to name a few.

I have just had a thought. In 20 minutes some people are getting up to go to the car boot in Çalis and I am still up talking politics

[Scunner]

Using data readily available for average income in different countries, and information provided in this topic, it is possible to calculate facts that might actually mean something.

As a percentage of income, a kilo of mince, to cost the same proportion of earnings to an "average" Brit as it would to an "average" Turk, would have to cost £139/kg in the UK.

[cheers]

Sorry Nichola I don't think this has anything to do with the income for most Turkish people.  The people in the more rural areas have always lived off the land and teach their children to do the same, those in the main towns do not have the land to be able to do this.  I agree with Scunner Turkey needs to decide whether to allow free trade or not.  They cannot sell their assets and not allow imports to balance the staus quo.
Turkey have applied to join the euro so they will then have to decide!
The prices I posted are from ASDA and you can freely check on their website.  I do feel sorry for any food business in Turkey who are trying to keep the prices low for the tourists and be able to survive.
My local in a nice area are doing meals for £3.49 its cheaper to eat out than stay in.

[nichola]

quote:Originally posted by Scunner

Using data readily available for average income in different countries, and information provided in this topic, it is possible to calculate facts that might actually mean something.

As a percentage of income, a kilo of mince, to cost the same proportion of earnings to an "average" Brit as it would to an "average" Turk, would have to cost £139/kg in the UK.

I trust your figures but is that a before of after taking account of the billions in subsidies paid to European farmers... [?]

[cheers]

Turkey is one of the only countries in the world that is 'Self-sufficient' why are they exporting all their meat and leaving nothing for the people, tourists etc?  an that is not the only commodity!!

[nichola]

Greed of a few!