Hazelnut producers react to Ferrero with "manipulation": "The aim is to panic the producer and buy hazelnuts cheaply"

The President of the Altınordu Agricultural Chamber of Ordu, Atakan Akça, stated that the alleged statement by the Italian company Ferrero about Turkish hazelnuts was "manipulation," saying, "The aim was to panic the producer and make them sell their hazelnuts at a cheap price immediately. The producer resisted and continues to resist. Since we know that this year the hazelnut harvest is low in the world and in Turkey, the producers stood up for their hazelnuts and thwarted their manipulation. This year, the producer will decide what happens." Following allegations that the Italian company Ferrero would stop purchasing from Turkey, the world's largest hazelnut producer, hazelnut prices fell. Prices, which had risen to 380 lira in the free market, dropped to 280 lira levels after the allegation. Ferrero officials announced that they had not made such a statement, while the situation drew strong reactions from hazelnut producers in Ordu. "Manipulation did not affect the producer" ...