In Turkey, agricultural producers are ensnared in a financial quagmire, with debts nearing 700 billion lira (€21 bln), as reported by Deutsche Welle's Turkish edition. This predicament stems from surging input costs — including diesel, fertilizers, pesticides, seeds, and animal feed — which significantly outpace government subsidies.
Consequently, farmers are increasingly dependent on borrowing, propelling them towards unsustainable debt levels. This crisis is reflective of broader agricultural challenges across Europe, where farmers protest against escalating costs, reduced tax incentives, and competition from lower-priced imports.
Baki Remzi Suiçmez, head of the Chamber of Agricultural Engineers, highlighted the absence of diesel subsidies in Turkey, a critical aid available to farmers in many European nations. The Turkish Union of Agricultural Chambers (TZOB) reports distressing hikes in fertilizer prices by 16 to 25 percent in 2023, alongside steep rises in feed and electricity costs, with diesel prices soaring by 78.6 percent over the past year, severely impacting all production phases.
Source: turkishminute.com
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