EU Has the Solution Key for the Economical Problem in Western Thrace

Press Office of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF)-
Witten, 30 August 2005

Press Release:

European Union Has the Solution Key for the Economical Problem in Western Thrace


The decision of the European Union, that it was going to abolish the subventions for the tobacco production, concerns the Western Thrace Turkish tobacco producers. 15 thousand families of tobacco producers are threshold of losing their basic means of subsistence.

The precautions of the European Union (EU) in order to reduce the consumption of tobacco products and its decision to abolish the subventions for the tobacco production have hit the Turkish minority farmers in Western Thrace in Greece. The EU declared that it would extend the restrictions on selling tobacco and tobacco products to the production stage, and abolish the subventions for the tobacco production in a few years completely. This declaration has made the minority farmers, whose only means of subsistence is tobacco production, brood. Moreover, the reality, that the support premiums for stock raising and other kind of productions are also going to be abolished in a few years, is reducing the alternatives.

The Only Means of Subsistence of the Minority Farmers

The Western Thrace Turkish farmers have been living on the tobacco production in the region for a long time. The tobacco production, from which the highest yield can be obtained in uneven and narrow lands, is almost an inevitability for the minority members, who live especially in the northern part of the region and on agriculture. Although the inclination of the EU first to reduce, and then to abolish the funds has become visible, the minority has not been informed about the alternative products necessarily and adequately. This and that the minority has been underdeveloped for years paved the way that the minority is dependent on only one product. Moreover, the intensive labour force tobacco production needs makes it impossible to do an additional job.

The EU Premiums Have Become Life Ring

The first development, which has caused financial misery for the minority, which could continue its production through subventions from the EU, has been that the fixed premium system, which had lasted till a few years ago, has been fixed to the production averages of the last two years. The minority, which could not get adequate harvest due to the reasons such as drought, hail etc., is also doomed to the low income the following year. Continuous decrease in the premiums has been the second negative phase of this development. According to the statements of the Western Thrace Turkish minority farmers, the price of one kg. tobacco, which had climbed to 10€ a few years ago through the support premiums, decreased today under 5€. The abolishment of the premiums, which do not cover today even the daily costs of a family, who is busy with tobacco production the whole year, means leaving the minority to hunger. On the other hand, the minority farmers are angry with the cooperatives, which have been established to protect the minority farmers against the hard free market conditions. The minority farmers complain that the protective decisions in the cooperatives are not taken without establishing dialogue with the farmers, and the cooperatives do not come out from the control of the merchants. The farmers, who have to continue their lives under very hard conditions, are made dependent on the merchants through agreements signed one year before the harvest, and in which the prices are not determined. This is also another complaint point, but unfortunately, there is no clause in the code of laws to hinder this practice.

Project from ABTTF for Alternative Products

The Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) is preparing itself to publish a research project called “Alternative Agricultural Products in Western Thrace” in order to rescue the minority farmers from the dilemma they have fell in. The ABTTF President Mr. Habipoglu stated that they would present the concerning research to the attention of the minority farmers, when it was completed, and said: “However, no doubt, the transition process from the production made for years to a new one will be quite problematic, and take a long time. Therefore, the subventions of the EU should continue further for a while.” Mr. Habipoglu underlined the underdevelopment of the region and minority, and said further: “Our minority farmers find themselves in a very serious underdevelopment. As a result of this, it is not possible for them to come together, and form a union of forces. Because of this underdevelopment, the future of thousands of people is being abused by simple political tricks. As ABTTF, we have started to undertake initiatives in order that our farmers can supply their products to the European markets with justified prices. In order to get outcomes of these initiatives, our farmers in Western Thrace should also build institutions, which could enable a common action.”