Butchers and traders protest outside “ministry”
Turkish Cypriot butchers’ and traders’ associations staged a protest outside the occupied north’s “ministry of agriculture and natural resources” on Thursday, voicing frustration over soaring meat prices and reported shortages.
The demonstrators warned that more Turkish Cypriots are now purchasing meat in the free areas of Cyprus, where prices are significantly lower.
Concerns over cross-border meat purchases
The general coordinator of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Shopkeepers and Artisans, Hürem Tulga, said the issue extends beyond meat and has become a wider social problem.
He described the “smuggling of meat” from the south as an “open secret” and questioned why the administration continues to ignore the situation. Tulga added that meat prices in the free areas are nearly half those in the occupied areas.
Sector warns of economic damage
The president of the Turkish Cypriot butchers’ association, Raşit Şenkaya, said the growing shift of consumers towards the south has severely affected the sector.
He accused the administration of failing to act and tolerating meat imports, arguing that simple measures could reduce meat prices and strengthen the local economy.
Tensions during protest
The occupied areas’ “minister of agriculture”, Hüseyin Çavuş, attended the protest and rejected claims that there is a shortage of animals.
He said the priority should be stabilising meat prices, describing major price differences across areas as unjustified. He pointed to minced meat being sold for 900 Turkish lira in one district and 600 in another.
Çavuş also said he was open to dialogue on establishing cooperatives, though his remarks triggered a brief verbal confrontation with protesters.
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