Police attack tea producers in Hopa

With the start of the tea harvest, the reaction of the producers to the announcement of the General Directorate of Tea Enterprises (ÇAYKUR) that they will buy 15 kilograms of tea per acre per day continues. Tea producers held a press conference Fındıklı, Rize and Hopa, Artvin to protest the quota. The producers who wanted to come together in Hopa Square and walk to ÇAYKUR Hopa Tea Factory were blocked by the police. Police attacked with tear gas after the producers started to march, and took over 20 people into custody.

Tea producers, protested the attacks and detentions and said they would not leave the square until the detainees were released. On the other hand, two people who fainted during the police attack were taken to hospital.

Tea producers, who also came together in Fındıklı, in Rize, gathered for a press conference in front of the Fındıklı Central Mosque. Reading the press release on behalf of the producers, Fatma Özlem Ortahisar said: “Quotas are applied for tea, producers are condemned to sell to private companies, and private companies buy tea at almost half the base price announced by the state. Tea producers are in revolt.”

Speaking at the press conference, Mehmet Ali Özsoy, Chairman of the Fındıklı Chamber of Agriculture, said that the private sector constantly lowers the price of tea with the excuse of “losing money”.