Rising pita bread prices spark outrage in Türkiye

The sharp rise in the price of pita, an essential food item for Turks during Ramadan, has angered many in Türkiye struggling with the skyrocketing inflation.

ISTANBUL, Feb. 29 (Xinhua) — The Turkish Bakers Federation recently announced that the price of Ramadan pita, an essential food item for Turks during Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting, will rise by 80 percent this year, triggering public outrage.

The price of 250 grams of pita bread will be 15 liras (0.48 U.S. dollars) this year, the federation announced. Last year, the price of 300 grams of plain pita bread was 10 liras.

The increase in pita prices will reach 80 percent from the previous year when calculated per kilo, Halil Ibrahim Balci, president of the federation, told reporters early this week.

According to Balci, the rising costs of flour, labor, and other operational expenses were the main reasons behind the price hike.

“When we consider our expenses, there is an increase of over 100 percent. I hope our citizens find the 80 percent increase reasonable,” said Balci.

The rise in pita bread prices has caused anger among Turkish citizens, who have already been struggling against the persistently high inflation, which hit 64.86 percent in January.

Magfi Egilmez, an economist and writer, said that this situation would “ultimately contribute to mutilation.”

“It is not clear whether we are buying a pita bread or an introduction to economics lesson,” he said on social media platform X, complaining about the price hike.

Sevda Yigit, an Istanbul citizen, emphasized that Turkish people are facing growing challenges in managing the escalating cost of living.

“Ramadan is approaching, and with the price of pita bread reaching 15 liras, pensioners will struggle to afford it,” Yigit told Xinhua.

The lowest pension in Türkiye has been increased to 10,000, and the monthly minimum wage has also been boosted by 49 percent to 17,002 Turkish liras as of January in a bid to alleviate the financial strain on Turkish citizens. However, these measures still fall short of helping the local population cope with the skyrocketing prices of daily necessities.

In recent years, the price of pita has been rapidly increasing in Türkiye. In 2012, a 400-gram pita was sold for only 1.5 liras. By 2022, the price had risen to 6 liras, while the weight of the pita decreased to 330 grams.

The pita bread is a round flatbread, renowned for its unique flavor in Turkish cuisine, especially cherished during Ramadan, which is expected to begin on or around March 11 this year.  ■