Price of bread in Van increases for second time in ten months

The economic crisis in Turkey and the advancing inflation are mainly reflected in food prices. The price of bread in the province of Van has now been raised for the second time this year. The increase is related to the rise in the price of flour, butter and fuel.

In January, the price of bread in Van was raised by 25 kurus (2 cents), followed by an increase of 30 kurus in October. 210 grams of bread cost 1.25 lira in January, now the price is 1.80 lira. Converted, the price has risen from 9 cents to almost 16 cents. The rise in price may appear low compared to the basic price on a European scale, but since a large part, if not the majority of the population in the impoverished province of Van, is below the poverty or hunger line, which is around 90 euros a month for a family of four lies, lives, this represents an existence-threatening increase in price.

“We have been selling at a loss for months”

Ahmet Ceylan, a baker in Van, explains the situation in retail: “We bakers have been selling bread at a loss for months. We cannot pay the employees’ salaries or the shop rent. We didn’t want to increase the price of bread either, but we had to do it. We know that people don’t have the money to buy bread. We are a people who consume a lot of bread. The rise in the price of bread and other products puts people in a very difficult position.”

“Now we even lack dry bread”

Muslim Kaya from Van is angry about the price increases. He said: “We don’t have any jobs here. Many people work in construction. I am also a construction worker. With the coming winter, we will not work. During this difficult time, everything became more expensive, even bread. That’s not good at all. Now we even lack bread. The government is solely responsible for this. While they and their followers live in palaces, the people live in misery.”