ISTANBUL
The price of turkeys, a staple of New Year’s tables, starts at 2,200 to 2,500 Turkish Liras (Around $60-$70) this year and vendors are reporting a significant drop in demand compared to previous years.
Speaking about the decline, Mehmet Yalçın, a turkey seller, said that while they had brought 4,000 turkeys to the market last year, this year the number was reduced to 400 due to low demand.
“Last year turkeys weighing around the same were selling for an average of 1,800 liras, but now prices range between 2,200 and 2,500 liras, and even these prices aren’t covering costs,” he explained.
Yalçın also noted that the lack of interest this season has left many turkeys unsold. “This year, we brought 300 turkeys, and 100 are still left. Hopefully, we’ll manage to sell the remaining stock soon,” he added.
Another seller, Zeynel Abidin Kaçan, highlighted the steep decline in turkey numbers compared to last year.
The turkeys, sourced from various regions of Türkiye, were transported to Istanbul and made available at farms and markets. Weighing between 5 to 8 kilograms, these turkeys remain a symbol of traditional holiday feasts, through rising prices and declining demand have left many vendors struggling this year.
