(Bloomberg) — The Turkish government has removed the head of the nation’s Meat & Milk Board after he was accused of mocking the poor over the price of meat.
Osman Uzun will be replaced by Mustafa Kayhan as general manager of the body known as ESK, media including NTV and Sabah reported Monday without giving a reason for the change.
Uzun was heavily criticized by the main opposition party after he defended moves by ESK stores to hike prices by as much as 48% amid rampant inflation in Turkey.
“Our prices were too low, 66% below the market,” Dunya newspaper cited him as saying on March 22. “Thus, very long queues formed. That’s why we raised prices.”
According to its website, ESK has 18 outlets across Turkey selling red meat, poultry, fish and dairy products at more affordable prices than typical retailers.
Turkish inflation accelerated past 54% in February, with food prices rising almost 65% from a year earlier, threatening to further dent support for the government ahead of elections next year. The statistics office will publish inflation data for March on April 4.
Taylan Bilgic, Bloomberg News
