Reasons for Seasonal Potato Prıce Fluctuatıons in Turkey

In this study, potato price fluctuations in Turkey were presented by examining the changes in prices between 2005 and 2014. The objective of this study was to present the fluctuations in potato prices and their reasons, and offer solutions to deal with the severity of price fluctuations. In the study, secondary statistical data that were gathered from the Food and Agriculture Organization, and the Turkish Statistical Institute were used as parent material. Seasonal and annual price fluctuations were calculated by means of the Basic and Chain Index, and the Table Analysis Method. Projections were conducted by the Least Squares (Regression) Method. According to the research results, during the time period between 2005 and 2014, potato prices generally had an increase trend, and followed a fluctuating pattern in 2 and 3 year time periods. Seasonally, it was examined that potato prices started increasing by January and continued until the harvest season. Prices started to decrease slighly by harvest time, and started increasing again by September. In the time periods that were examined, the current price average of potato was 0.62 TL/kg and the real price average was 0.70 TL/kg. It could be said that potato real prices decreased in general. One of the important outcomes of this study was that although price fluctuations are limited in agricultural products that can be stocked like potato, an opposite result was observed because of the speculative stockpiling in 2014. It is neccessary to take some precautions, such as licensed warehouses, in order to prevent speculative actions.