Record inflation squeezes Turkish tobacco workers, owners


              Tobacco producer Ismail Demir, 53, right, unloads sacks full of harvested tobacco leaves in Gokcay village, Adiyaman province, southeast Turkey, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022. Official data released Monday Oct. 3, 2022 shows consumer prices rise 83.45% from a year earlier, further hitting households already facing high energy, food and housing costs. Experts say the real rate of inflation is much higher than official statistics, at an eye-watering 186%. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
            
              Mehmet Emin Calkan, 19, threads harvested tobacco leaves into a skewer in Gokcay village, Adiyaman province, southeast Turkey, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022.  Official data released Monday Oct. 3, 2022 shows consumer prices rise 83.45% from a year earlier, further hitting households already facing high energy, food and housing costs. Experts say the real rate of inflation is much higher than official statistics, at an eye-watering 186%. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
            
              Workers collect tobacco leaves in a field near Kurudere village, Adiyaman province, southeast Turkey, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022. Official data released Monday Oct. 3, 2022 shows consumer prices rise 83.45% from a year earlier, further hitting households already facing high energy, food and housing costs. Experts say the real rate of inflation is much higher than official statistics, at an eye-watering 186%.   (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
            
              Bakiye Durmus hangs tobacco leaves to dry during the harvest season in Doganli village, Adiyaman province, southeast Turkey, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022. Official data released Monday Oct. 3, 2022 shows consumer prices rise 83.45% from a year earlier, further hitting households already facing high energy, food and housing costs. Experts say the real rate of inflation is much higher than official statistics, at an eye-watering 186%.   (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
            
              Workers collect tobacco leaves in a field near Kurudere village, Adiyaman province, southeast Turkey, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022. Official data released Monday Oct. 3, 2022 shows consumer prices rise 83.45% from a year earlier, further hitting households already facing high energy, food and housing costs. Experts say the real rate of inflation is much higher than official statistics, at an eye-watering 186%. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
            
              Workers collect tobacco leaves in a field near Kurudere village, Adiyaman province, southeast Turkey, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022. Official data released Monday Oct. 3, 2022 shows consumer prices rise 83.45% from a year earlier, further hitting households already facing high energy, food and housing costs. Experts say the real rate of inflation is much higher than official statistics, at an eye-watering 186%. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
            Workers have breakfast before collecting tobacco leaves in a field near Kurudere village, Adiyaman province, southeast Turkey, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022. Official data released Monday Oct. 3, 2022 shows consumer prices rise 83.45% from a year earlier, further hitting households already facing high energy, food and housing costs. Experts say the real rate of inflation is much higher than official statistics, at an eye-watering 186%.  (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) Workers carry sacks full of harvested tobacco leaves in Gokcay village, Adiyaman province, southeast Turkey, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022.  Official data released Monday Oct. 3, 2022 shows consumer prices rise 83.45% from a year earlier, further hitting households already facing high energy, food and housing costs. Experts say the real rate of inflation is much higher than official statistics, at an eye-watering 186%.  (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) Zekariya Cektir, 75, collects tobacco leaves in a field near Kurudere village, Adiyaman province, southeast Turkey, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022. Official data released Monday Oct. 3, 2022 shows consumer prices rise 83.45% from a year earlier, further hitting households already facing high energy, food and housing costs. Experts say the real rate of inflation is much higher than official statistics, at an eye-watering 186%.   (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) Mehmet Emin Calkan, 19, collects tobacco leaves in a field near Kurudere village, Adiyaman province, southeast Turkey, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022. Official data released Monday Oct. 3, 2022 shows consumer prices rise 83.45% from a year earlier, further hitting households already facing high energy, food and housing costs. Experts say the real rate of inflation is much higher than official statistics, at an eye-watering 186%. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) Serkan Arikan,19, carries a sack full of tobacco leaves in a field near Kurudere village, Adiyaman province, southeast Turkey, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022. Official data released Monday Oct. 3, 2022 shows consumer prices rise 83.45% from a year earlier, further hitting households already facing high energy, food and housing costs. Experts say the real rate of inflation is much higher than official statistics, at an eye-watering 186%.  (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) Safiye Dogan threads harvested tobacco leaves into a skewer in Gokcay village, Adiyaman province, southeast Turkey, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022. Official data released Monday Oct. 3, 2022 shows consumer prices rise 83.45% from a year earlier, further hitting households already facing high energy, food and housing costs. Experts say the real rate of inflation is much higher than official statistics, at an eye-watering 186%.   (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) Ayse Gunduzalp, 75, holds dried tobacco leaves during the harvest season in Kurudere village, Adiyaman province, southeast Turkey, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022. Official data released Monday Oct. 3, 2022 shows consumer prices rise 83.45% from a year earlier, further hitting households already facing high energy, food and housing costs. Experts say the real rate of inflation is much higher than official statistics, at an eye-watering 186%.   (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) Ismail Demir, 53, spreads harvested tobacco leaves in Gokcay village, Adiyaman province, southeast Turkey, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022.  Official data released Monday Oct. 3, 2022 shows consumer prices rise 83.45% from a year earlier, further hitting households already facing high energy, food and housing costs. Experts say the real rate of inflation is much higher than official statistics, at an eye-watering 186%.  (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) Zekariya Cektir, 75, collects tobacco leaves in a field near Kurudere village, Adiyaman province, southeast Turkey, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022. Tobacco growers in southeast Turkey's Celikhan district are feeling the pinch as annual inflation reaches a new 24-year high. Official data released Monday Oct. 3, 2022 shows consumer prices rise 83.45% from a year earlier, further hitting households already facing high energy, food and housing costs. Experts say the real rate of inflation is much higher than official statistics, at an eye-watering 186%.  (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) Workers cut dried tobacco leaves in Kurudere village, Adiyaman province, southeast Turkey, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022. Official data released Monday Oct. 3, 2022 shows consumer prices rise 83.45% from a year earlier, further hitting households already facing high energy, food and housing costs. Experts say the real rate of inflation is much higher than official statistics, at an eye-watering 186%. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) Serkan Arikan,19, carries sacks full of tobacco leaves in a field near Kurudere village, Adiyaman province, southeast Turkey, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022. Official data released Monday Oct. 3, 2022 shows consumer prices rise 83.45% from a year earlier, further hitting households already facing high energy, food and housing costs. Experts say the real rate of inflation is much higher than official statistics, at an eye-watering 186%.   (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)