İmamoğlu Calls for National Mobilization After Devastating Agricultural Frost Hits Farmers

Detained Istanbul mayor urges urgent action from Agriculture Ministry, Ziraat Bank, and cooperatives to support struggling farmers

Ekrem İmamoğlu, the detained mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB), has called on Turkish authorities to urgently respond to the agricultural frost disaster that has severely damaged farmlands across the country.

In a statement posted on the X platform (formerly Twitter), İmamoğlu warned that the frost-related losses are not only devastating for farmers but also pose a significant risk to food prices and food security in Türkiye.

“Disaster Has Struck From East to West”

“The agricultural frost disaster has caused massive destruction in cultivated lands across nearly all agricultural regions in Türkiye — from east to west, north to south,” İmamoğlu wrote.

Highlighting that many farmers had already incurred production costs but will now lose their harvest income, İmamoğlu warned that the sustainability of agricultural production is at stake.

Wrong Agricultural Policies and Rising Food Prices

He further stressed that despite having some of the world’s most fertile lands, Türkiye ranks among the top three countries in global food inflation, due to years of misguided agricultural policies.

“This disaster will result in a radical decline in food production and further price hikes,” İmamoğlu noted, pointing to the broader economic consequences of the frost damage.

Urgent Support Measures Demanded

Calling on the Ministry of Agriculture, Ziraat Bank, and Agricultural Credit Cooperatives, İmamoğlu demanded the full mobilization of resources to help farmers weather the crisis.

“In order to minimize losses and sustain agricultural production, urgent and effective measures must be enacted,” he said.

Among his recommendations:

• Immediate damage assessment and payouts for crops under insurance coverage

• Targeted support for uninsured crops and farmers through public institutions

• Mobilization of all financial tools and loan facilities to ease the burden on affected producers

“My Thoughts Are With the People”

Concluding his statement, İmamoğlu expressed solidarity with low-income citizens both in rural and urban areas:

“My heart and mind are with those trying to survive with limited means, in the countryside and in the cities. Get well soon, Türkiye.”