Welcome to our pick of last week’s news from Fethiye and around Türkiye.
Curated from various news sources.
NEWS
Export ban on tomatoes lifted in Türkiye
The Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry announced that the export restriction on tomatoes, which was previously announced to last until April 14, has been lifted. It was previously announced that the ban, which was introduced on March 2, would last until April 14. The ban was introduced to ensure supply availability in the domestic market and to prevent the rising prices of tomatoes. However, the ban was strongly criticized by the growers as tomato remains the main fresh produce export product for Türkiye.
Tomato growers across the country welcomed with joy the lifting of the ban. The tomato producers in Muğla’s Seydikemer and Fethiye districts reacted to the decision by making a joint statement together with the members of the Growers and Exporters Chambers in Fethiye Karaçulha Wholesaler Fruit and Vegetable Market.
Seydikemer Mayor Yakup Otgöz said, “The tomato export ban has been lifted with the instructions of our President Mr Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. We would like to thank our Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, our Minister of Trade Mehmet Muş , and our Mugla Deputies for their support. Good luck to our farmers and export companies in our region.” After the news, increased activity is observed in the region this morning with growers receiving orders and starting to fulfil them. As the restriction is lifted, the majority of the tomatoes will be sent to European countries.
Source: https://www.hortidaily.com/article/9509854/export-ban-on-tomatoes-has-been-lifted-in-turkiye/
Cliffside buildings in Türkiye’s resort town Antalya cause panic
Amid the quake panic in Türkiye following the deadly Feb. 6 quakes, the topic of the dangerously risky structures in the Mediterranean province of Antalya’s cliff edge has come to the agenda once again, as experts emphasized that action should be taken as soon as possible.
Life continues in eight to 10-story buildings in the Muratpaşa district and a cafeteria continues to host its customers despite the real risk of collapsing.
In 2013, Yıldız Technical University conducted a study in Antalya Konserve Bay, and the report stated that filling should be done at certain points determined by scientific methods in order to prevent the leakage of surface waters to the cliffs and to stop the regression.
No measures have been taken since then.
Bayram Ali Çeltik, the president of the Antalya Branch Office of the Geological Engineers Chamber, also pointed out that the structures on the cliff area should be demolished without wasting time.
He stated that as the waves beat the cliffs with great force, it causes erosion over time and that there are fractures in some areas.
“We can see that there are buildings with cracks in their columns and beams. However, since this area is highly profitable in terms of rent, no one voices this issue,” he said.
Ancient structures remain standing in Hatay despite Türkiye quake
Ancient remains, such as an aqueduct and theatre, in an ancient city in Türkiye’s Hatay, survived the recent Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes which rocked the country’s southeast. The structures have suffered numerous earthquakes throughout history.
The ruins of the Ancient City of Epiphaneia, also known as the Issos Ruins and other names, in the Erzin district of Hatay, were not damaged by the recent mega-earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş and Hatay.
The ancient city, which has been known by numerous different names throughout history, witnessed the Battle of Issos in 333 B.C. between Persian Ruler Darius III and Macedonian King Alexander the Great and contains traces of many other cultures, including from the Ottoman Empire.
Examinations by an archaeology team found that the ancient city was not affected by the earthquakes, except for minor damage to a structure in the ancient city.
Source: Daily Sabah
Türkiye grants Tesla charging stations license as EV race heats up
Türkiye’s energy watchdog on Friday extended the U.S.-based electric carmaker Tesla a license to operate a charging network in the country.
Tesla is now one of 119 companies to operate charging stations and offers support to electric vehicle (EV) drivers across Türkiye.
“With charging stations to be installed at several locations, including parking lots, shopping centres and gas stations by licensed operators, electric vehicle owners will be able to receive charging services and will be able to travel more affordably in the face of rising fuel prices,” the Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK) said.
There are 3,728 commercial charging stations in Türkiye, including 3,082 slow (AC) and 646 fast (DC) charging stations, according to the authority.
Boosted by lower consumer tax rates than combustion-engine cars, new electric car registrations have surged more than 90% in Türkiye since 2021, according to the EPDK data.
As of December 2022, 14,896 new electric vehicles were registered compared to 7,694 in the same month of 2021, the EPDK data showed.
Read more here: https://www.dailysabah.com/business/automotive/turkiye-grants-tesla-charging-stations-license-as-ev-race-heats-up
Serious drought around the corner for Türkiye
Türkiye is in the grip of drought, and the country will pay a heavier price if strict actions are not immediately taken, experts have warned.
According to Prof. Dr. Murat Türkeş, a member of the Board of Directors of Boğaziçi University Climate Change and Policy Implementation and Research Center and a member of the Turkish Foundation for Combating Soil Erosion, for Reforestation and the Protection of Natural Habitats (TEMA), most of the country is currently experiencing moderate to severe drought.
Türkeş said that despite the warnings made by experts for a long time, the danger of drought has not yet been fully understood.
Türkeş, commenting on the growing danger of drought, said that the country has received very limited rainfall since November.
“Our need for irrigation water will become more apparent around July. The situation is manageable for grains at the moment, but for vegetables and fruits that require plenty of water, the problem will be major in the summer,” he said.
Read more here: https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/serious-drought-around-the-corner-for-turkiye-experts-181502
Erdoğan formally sets election date as May 14
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has officially set the date for Türkiye’s parliamentary and presidential elections as May 14, a month ahead of the previously scheduled date, seeking to extend his two decades in power.
Erdoğan signed a decree under Article 116 of the constitution for the renewal of the presidential and parliamentary elections on May 14, 2023. The elections were originally scheduled to take place on June 18, 2023.
The official process will start after the decree is published in the Official Gazette on March 11, Erdoğan said.
Source: https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/president-erdogan-sets-elections-for-may-14-181500
SPORT
Fethiyespor
Thank you to Brian Lloyd for the Fethiyespor update.
Fethiyespor played their first home match since the devastating earthquake struck southeast Türkiye and northern Syria on Feb 6, 2023, killing over 55,100 people and injuring over 108,000.
As the match started, Fethiyespor fans threw soft toys and footballs onto the field for the children affected by the earthquakes. The toys thrown onto the field were collected by the football players with the help of the officials. Plush toys will be sent to the earthquake zone to be gifted to children.
Fethiyespor also hung a poster with the words “We will never forget you” in the stadium to pay tribute to Fethiyespor lover and paramedic Muzaffer Kılınç, who lost his life in the wreckage of the hospital where he worked in Hatay Antakya.
Kılınç’s mother, siblings and other relatives watched the match from the tribune. At the end of the match, Fethiyespor gave the family a jersey with “MUZO” on the back and celebrated their win with them.
Match Results
Fethiyespor won their home game against Kastamonuspor on Saturday. The final score was 1-0.
Fethiyespor move up to 11th place on the league table with 25 matches played.
League Matches
Wednesday 15th March at home against Karacabey Belediyespor. The kick-off time is at 14:00.
Sunday 19th March away against Ankara Demirspor. The kick-off time is at 14:00.
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Turkish Lira (TL) exchange rates
The British Pound bought 22.83 TL by the close of business on Friday. The week before it was selling for 22.64 TL.
The US Dollar bought 18.97 TL by the close of business on Friday. The week before it was selling for 18.81 TL.
The Euro bought 20.22 TL by the close of business on Friday. The week before it was selling for 20.03 TL.
Source: exchangerates.org.uk
Weather Forecast
Here’s your weather forecast for the week ahead.
Source: Living Earth
