FIXED PRICES OF SOME FOOD PRODUCTS IN ISTANBUL (1524-1836)

Price fixing is an instrument of financial policy, which is still in use today in other forms. The Ottoman state would determine the ceiling price for certain products in order to preclude rises in their price., The ban-breakers who sold over the ceiling price were subject, to sanction. This practice was implemented as a precaution for protecting the consumer. However, the lowest price for the products subject to price fixing policies was also set so that not only the consumer but also the producer was protected by the practice of price fixing. Thus, it is possible to describe this policy as a practice of floor and ceiling price fixation.

Price fixation would be executed by the Qadi of Istanbul. The Qadi would implement this policy with the help of muhtesib (ottoman constabulary-official for public order). Among officially fixed-price products were basic consumer goods such as flour, bread, meat, oil-fat and salt.

Officially-fixed prices of a 312-year period are demonstrated in the table below beginning from 1524 to 1836 at an avarage interval of 30 years. Flour, bread, mutton, beef, tallow, olive oil, salt and candle are the products included in the table. In order to form a common value, weight and prices of the products are converted into akçes (silver coins) per kıyye (okka).

Table Appendix 1- Fixed Prices of Some Food Products in Istanbul (1524-1836)

Akçe/Kıyye (Okka)

Year 

Flour

Bread

Mutton

Beef

Tallow

Olive Oil

Salt

Candle

1524

 

 

1.3

 

 

5.5

 

 

1525

0.9

0.8

2

1

 

4.5

1.3

16

1528

 

 

2.7

 

 

4.5

 

 

1530

 

0.7

2.7

 

 

5.5

 

 

1548

 

 

2

 

 

5

 

 

1557

 

 

2

 

 

7.3

 

 

1558

 

0.7

 

 

 

4.8

 

 

1564

 

0.6

2.4

 

 

5

 

 

1570

 

1.1

3

 

 

7

 

 

1579

 

 

3.5

 

 

7.5

 

 

1584

 

0.7

3

 

 

 

 

 

1589

 

 

8.8

 

 

10.5

 

 

1591

2.5

1.3

 

 

 

12.5

 

 

1594

 

1.6

4

 

 

 

 

 

1595

 

1.3

6

 

 

13.5

 

 

1600

3.3

2.3

8

5

 

18.5

 

 

1603

 

 

9.3

 

 

15

 

 

1606

 

4

10.7

 

 

23

 

 

1608

3

2.3

9.2

 

 

22.5

 

 

1613

 

1.3

10

 

 

15

 

 

1615

 

3.8

8.5

 

 

 

 

 

1617

 

1.8

8

 

 

24

 

 

1618

4

1.9

9.3

 

 

 

 

 

1621

 

3.8

10.5

 

 

16

 

 

1623

6.3

4.2

12

 

 

24.4

 

 

1624

3

2.7

8

7

15

18

1

20

1625

2

2.3

10

 

 

 

 

 

1627

3.5

2

11

 

 

21

 

 

1632

 

2.7

11

 

 

19

 

 

1634

 

 

12

 

 

23

 

 

1640

 

2.8

9.5

 

 

19.5

 

 

1641

 

3.2

12

 

 

 

 

 

1642

 

2.4

9

 

 

17

 

 

1657

5.3

3.1

11

 

 

 

 

 

1690

3

 

 

 

 

18

 

 

1693

6

4.7

14.3

 

 

25

 

 

1695

3

3.6

21

 

 

19

 

 

1696

5

3.6

15

 

 

23

 

 

1722

5

 

 

 

 

26

 

 

1775

12

 

 

 

 

38

 

 

1776

12

8

 

 

 

57.5

 

 

1780

 

 

28.5

 

 

44

 

 

1785

15

8

24

 

 

43

 

 

1786

11.8

7.3

24

 

 

52

 

 

1788

14

6.2

24

 

 

84

 

 

1789

17

10.5

 

 

63

 

 

71

1790

24

15

 

 

81

66

12

89

1791

19

12

31.5

 

 

58.5

18

107

1792

19

11

43.3

 

81

67

10

95

1793

19.5

14.3

39

 

 

76.5

 

 

1794

25

15.2

45

28

66

 

 

 

1795

33

20

40.5

 

48

 

 

 

1796

25

16.6

45

 

63

 

 

 

1797

 

 

45

 

 

 

10

 

1798

20.8

13.3

40.5

 

 

 

10

 

1799

23

13.5

40.5

24

58

93

 

70

1800

23

15

42.8

24

58

 

 

70

1801

24

 

39

30

 

88.5

8

 

1802

 

 

 

 

76

84

8

88

1804

23

15

51

 

 

93

8

 

1805

28.5

18.5

57

40

94

 

 

 

1806

 

 

 

 

90

117

17

106

1808

29

18.5

80.5

 

 

 

 

 

1809

34.3

24

85.5

 

 

 

 

 

1810

62

41.6

85.5

 

 

120

 

 

1811

63.3

 

106.5

 

 

 

 

 

1812

45.3

34.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

1813

 

 

82.5

 

 

156

 

 

1815

43.8

33.3

106.5

 

 

 

 

 

1819

42.7

30

114

 

 

 

 

 

1820

 

14.6

115.5

 

 

 

 

 

1821

 

 

115.5

 

 

213

 

 

1823

 

 

93.8

 

 

180

 

 

1825

45.1

28.4

90

 

 

 

 

 

1826

40.2

26.7

90

 

 

 

 

 

1827

 

40

94.5

 

 

 

 

 

1828

86.5

53.3

100.5

 

 

168

 

 

1829

75.7

53.3

126

 

 

 

 

 

1833

 

68.6

255

 

 

 

 

 

1834

 

 

265.5

 

 

345

 

 

1836

 

 

 

 

 

690

 

 

*Sources: Halil Sahillioğlu, “Osmanlılar’da Narh Müessesesi ve 1525 Yılı Sonunda İstanbul’da Fiyatlar”, BTTD, , no. 1 (1967), pp. 36-40; issue 2, pp.54-56; issue 3, pp.50-53; Mübahat S. Kütükoğlu, “1624 Sikke Tashihinin Ardından Hazırlanan Narh Defterleri”, TD, no. 34 (1984), pp.126-128; Mübahat S. Kütükoğlu, “1009 (1600) Tarihli Narh Defterine Göre İstanbul’da Çeşitli Eşya ve Hizmet Fiyatları”, TED, 1978, no. 9, pp. 22-25; Salih Aynural, “Selim III Döneminde İstanbul’da İktisadi Hayat”, PhD thesis, İstanbul University, 1989, p. 141-155; Arif Bilgin, “Narh Listeleri ve Üsküdar Mal Piyasası (1642-1708)” , IV. Üsküdar Sempozyumu, ed. Coşkun Yılmaz, Istanbul: IV. Üsküdar Sempozyumu, 2007, vol. 2, pp. 155-191.

Note: Fixed prices between 1789-1807, as provided by Aynural, were used, and prices relating to the last month of the year in question were taken into account.


This article was translated from Turkish version of History of Istanbul with some editions to be published in a digitalized form in 2019.

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