Looking at some practical issues reveals important facts in this regard. As we all know, Turks consume a great deal of fresh fruits and vegetables, almost 45 to 65 million tons annually. The exact volume is not known, as more than 60 percent of the products for sale are part of the informal economy. This reality creates an imperfect competition and assures that supermarket chains reap huge profits, despite generating serious health problems.Sanitary control of fresh produce in supermarkets is conducted through samples taken by the provincial agricultural directorate. During these inspections, if pesticide residue harmful to human health is detected, only the entity that purchased the product is held responsible, without any legal penalties for the market where they purchased the produce or for the farm producing it. According to regulations, these markets should buy their products from producers employing insured workers and which control their pesticide usage. To be sure that a product does not contain any pesticides, 10 different analyses should be conducted. The cost of carrying out this analysis is 110 euros per sample in Turkey, but only 7 euros in EU countries. The expense of insurance added to this cost of analysis drastically increases the overall cost of the products and in turn has an effect on supermarket chain profits.
Firms that don’t want to see their profits drop choose to purchase their fruits and vegetables from the markets. As 60 to 70 percent of the produce sold in the markets is not subject to any kind of controls, two-thirds of the fruits and vegetables bought there could possibly contain pesticides. These harmful substances can cause health problems such as premature birth, kidney ailments, dementia, cancer in the digestive system, deafness and blindness. Supermarkets have no intention of carrying out the testing in order to avoid the expense, and we carry on with our consumption.
Market chains operating in Turkey also sell fresh fruits and vegetables at foreign sales points. When these products cross our borders, inspections become an obligation according to international regulations. Not only European Union member countries but also Russia and Syria refuse to buy Turkish products without the necessary controls.
Companies that observe health regulations when selling fresh produce in foreign countries agree to pay 30 percent more, but they do everything possible to avoid these regulations, as the health of Turkish consumers is not perceived as a priority. This situation is partially the result of the complexity of existing regulations. No one is capable of saying who is really responsible for what. A Turkish food codex exists, and all the standards are officially established, but this doesn’t change anything in our daily lives. We should also emphasize that there are important gaps in the regulations and in the verification mechanisms. According to European Union regulations, firms are obliged to purchase from those producers who carry out their own analysis. The cost increases, but the regulation has encouraged organization. In other words, when consumers demand some standards, producers have no choice but to submit.
