Potato producer from Afyon under cost pressure

Lütfi Ardıç, a potato producer in Afyonkarahisar, said that the burden of diesel, fertilizer, and debt is putting farmers in a difficult situation. The number of those withdrawing from production in the village is increasing...

Scraper SystemJune 03, 2026, 01:07 PM

Potato producer from Afyon under cost pressure

Potato producers in Afyonkarahisar are struggling to stay afloat in production due to rising input costs. Potato producer Lütfi Ardıç stated that he has to sell about 14 to 15 kilos of potatoes to buy one liter of diesel, expressing that the farmer has "reached the breaking point."

Ardıç explained that the price per kilo of potatoes is around 5 lira, while the price per liter of diesel has risen to the 65 to 70 lira range. He noted that the costs of fertilizer and pesticides also increase the burden on producers, stating that one ton of potatoes costs 5,000 lira and one ton of fertilizer costs 30,000 lira.

Highlights

Potato producers in Afyonkarahisar complain about high costs.
Lütfi Ardıç said that 14 to 15 kilos of potatoes must be sold to buy diesel.
It is reported that fertilizer, pesticide, and diesel prices make production difficult.
Some producers who cannot pay their debts are reportedly trying to sell their equipment and lands.
The number of producers leaving the village is said to be increasing.

Debts also hit equipment and land

Producer Ardıç explained that they often sell potatoes against promissory notes, and since these notes are due later, cash flow is disrupted. He said they give the promissory notes to places where they buy pesticides and fertilizers, yet debts are not cleared.

According to Ardıç, this situation extends to the sale of tractors and equipment. He stated that banks seize the equipment of producers who cannot pay their debts or that producers have to sell them.

Production is shrinking in villages

Ardıç said that potato producers also suffered losses in the 2025 and 2026 seasons, with the proportion of those losing money in the village reaching at least 80%. He mentioned that electricity subscriptions have been canceled, wells have been closed, and the need for large tractors has increased.

While there used to be an average of two tractors per household, Ardıç noted that now some homes do not even have one tractor left, and he reported an increase in fallow lands. He said many people who lost money on potatoes, barley, and wheat have left the village.

Context: Afyonkarahisar is known as one of the provinces prominent in potato production. However, the cost pressure described by producers brings the risk of indebtedness and contraction in agricultural production back to the agenda.

What does the producer want?

What Ardıç describes points to a period where expenses are discussed more than field yields. The farmer says that even if production continues, the income is not enough to cover costs, so many people have to withdraw from the fields.

According to the producer's account, unless expense items decrease, the squeeze in potato production may deepen further. The emptying lands in villages and the changing hands of equipment also stand out as the most concrete results of this pressure.

Potato producer from Afyon under cost pressure

Scraper SystemJune 03, 2026, 01:07 PM