AGRICULTURE IN CRISIS: THE BIGGEST AGRICULTURAL DISASTER IN 30 YEARS

Erdoğan Praises Farmers While Onion Fields Are Left for Free Harvest

On May 14, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan marked World Farmers’ Day by saying, “For 23 years, we’ve stood by our farmers, and we’ll continue to do so.” Yet, at that very moment, a farmer in Osmaniye who couldn’t sell his onions opened his 100-decare field to citizens to take the produce for free.

As hundreds of people rushed to collect the free onions, traffic jammed near the fields. Farmer Bülent Kale summed up the desperation: “We farmers see no light ahead. Our crops are worthless. Input costs are skyrocketing, but we can’t sell our harvest. The government tells us to leave no land unused—we haven’t—but they won’t buy our produce. We’re suffering major losses. We’re bankrupt.”

Just one day before, while Erdoğan claimed support for farmers, the Ministry of Agriculture announced a fresh tea purchase price of 25.44 TL per kilo, far below the 35 TL demanded by tea producers.

A Structural Collapse Fueled by Neoliberal Policies

Agricultural policy under the ruling AKP has turned the sector into a tangle of structural issues. AKP, one of the most committed implementers of neoliberal reform since the 1980s, has brought the sector to its worst state in decades.

Costs for diesel, fertilizer, animal feed, and seeds have skyrocketed. Government subsidies remain inadequate, while loans from state institutions like Ziraat Bank and Agricultural Credit Cooperatives have become a burden. Many farmers have defaulted on their debts, faced foreclosures, and been forced to sell their land. With younger generations leaving agriculture, the burden now falls on the elderly in rural areas.

While officials claim to support local production, imported goods are increasingly cheaper on store shelves, eroding the value of domestic produce year after year. Meanwhile, corporate dominance over agriculture continues to grow.

April Frost Deals Earthquake-Level Damage to Crops

Already financially cornered, farmers were struck by an April frost widely seen as the worst agricultural disaster in years. The frost destroyed budding olive trees, cutting productivity to near zero. Farmers warn that olive oil prices—currently 200 TL per liter—could reach 500 TL next year.

CHP MP Ömer Fethi Gürer visited Niğde’s Çamardı district to survey the frost damage. “The trees have withered, the blossoms are gone. This frost didn’t just affect this year’s harvest—it will impact next year as well,” Gürer said. “There’s nothing left on the branches. Apples, apricots, cherries—completely lost. Walnut trees didn’t even sprout.”

No Immediate Support from Ankara, Parliamentary Committee Still Absent

Farmers hoped for government assistance after the frost disaster. But a month later, the parliamentary committee formed to investigate the damage has yet to convene. Its first meeting is scheduled for May 20.

While the Ministry of Agriculture announced aid for farmers registered in the National Farmer Registry System (ÇKS), details remain vague. No comprehensive plan has been presented for how to address either the crop loss or its broader socioeconomic effects.

Drought Adds Fuel to the Fire

According to the Turkish Grain Board’s (TMO) April 2025 Rainfall Report, nationwide precipitation over the last seven months was down 25% from the norm and 26% lower than the same period last year. Southeastern Anatolia saw the lowest rainfall in 65 years. The Aegean and Central Anatolia also recorded the driest periods in nearly two decades.

Sharp Declines in Yield Across Key Regions

The ongoing drought is severely affecting crop yields:

• Wheat yields down 40% in Diyarbakır

• 50% in Şanlıurfa

• 15% in Gaziantep

• Vast dryland areas in Mardin are at risk of complete crop failure

• In Konya’s drylands, wheat yields are expected to drop 20%, barley by 30%

Farmers Replant After Failed Harvests

In Adana and Hatay, the combination of drought and frost has pushed yields down by 40%. Farmers have begun re-plowing their fields for a second planting.

MP Gürer emphasized that the damage is long-lasting and called for debts to be postponed for at least three years with accrued interest forgiven. Orchards for apples, cherries, and walnuts have seen massive damage.

Complete Crop Failure in Şanlıurfa

TZOB President Şemsi Bayraktar visited Şanlıurfa and reported a disastrous outlook: “There’s no barley, no wheat, no lentils. The fields look burnt. Total yield loss.” Some areas recorded 100% crop failure, he said.

Food Inflation Expected to Soar

With record-breaking losses in 36 provinces, food inflation is almost inevitable this summer. Beyond higher vegetable and fruit prices, wheat production is expected to drop dramatically.

In 2025, Turkey cultivated around 70 million decares of wheat. Last year’s 21-million-ton yield is projected to fall to 17 million tons this year—a 20% national drop. In drought-prone regions like Southeastern Anatolia and Çukurova, losses range between 40% and 100%.

This will likely increase the prices of flour, bread, animal feed, and impact meat and dairy production as well.

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