Turkey’s Ministry of Customs and Trade issued a statement on Wednesday saying they have increased audits to detect and investigate higher than normal produce prices after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan put the blame for hikes in prices on supermarkets.
The ministry will investigate supermarkets, produce wholesalers and farmers markets to find pricing that is not in line with supply and demand.
The statement also pointed out that the investigations in major cities would target those who take advantage of increased costs and changes in foreign exchange even though they are not affected by those factors, the Diken news site reported.
A few months ago, authorities in Turkey raided warehouses to determine if wholesalers were stockpiling onions, leading to unusual hikes in the price of onions. Producers and wholesalers had said it was natural to stockpile onions after harvest until they are delivered to market.
Turkey has been experiencing increases in produce prices in the last couple of months as a result of high inflation and a deteriorating economy.