Migros CEO: “Türkiye Could Soon Struggle to Find Food to Sell”

Türkiye’s long-standing agricultural cost crisis, which farmers have been reporting for years, has now become a central concern for major retailers. One of the most striking warnings came from Migros CEO Ömer Özgür Tort, who said the country may soon face severe food shortages if current trends persist. His remarks, delivered at a major business summit in Antalya, highlight how deeply production problems have started to affect the broader economy.

Speaking at the 26th Business World Summit, organized by the Turkish Business Confederation (TÜRKONFED), Tort outlined how collapsing production economics, soaring input costs, and farmers abandoning their fields have created a dangerous imbalance in Türkiye’s food supply chain.

“At This Pace, We May Not Have Enough Products to Sell”

Tort stressed that Türkiye is entering a high-risk period regarding food supply. Many producers, he noted, are no longer able to sustain their operations due to rising costs and insufficient profitability. As producers exit the sector, the country’s agricultural foundation weakens further.

He captured the urgency of the situation with a stark message:
“If we continue at this pace, we may not have products to sell in Türkiye. In that case, we may be forced to make food a part of the same import wave we now see in other sectors.”

This statement signals a critical shift: Türkiye, historically capable of meeting much of its food demand, may be edging toward import dependency, especially in key produce categories.

The 5-to-35 Lira Problem: Logistics and Cost Inflation

Tort illustrated the cost burden with a real-world price comparison between Antalya and Istanbul. Farmers in Antalya sell certain products for 5 lira, but by the time they reach Istanbul shelves, consumers pay 35 lira.

He explained the mechanics behind this huge disparity:

• Low efficiency and weak yields drastically increase per-unit costs

• Even a product with nearly zero production cost ends up costing around 21 lira to reach Istanbul

• Farmers cannot sustain production at 5 lira when expenses are rising

• Supporting joint production, reducing logistics pressure, and improving efficiency are essential for preventing further price inflation.

Tort emphasized that lowering supply chain costs is no longer optional — it is the only path to preventing a broader food affordability crisis.

Food Safety Concerns: “They Don’t Use Chemicals in What They Eat Themselves”

Another issue Tort raised relates to food safety practices in the field. He shared an observation that some producers keep a portion of their gardens chemical-free for their own households, while using pesticides on the crops designated for sale.

His remark was direct:
“Some farms have areas reserved for their own families, where they avoid chemicals. That hurts me deeply. If they tell me this, imagine what remains unspoken.”

This comment underscores growing distrust in the domestic food production process and the need for improved oversight, transparency, and safety standards.

Textile Sector Also Under Threat as Egypt Courts Turkish Firms

Concerns at the summit extended beyond food. According to Ekonomim reporting, Koton CEO Bülent Sabuncu described significant losses in the textile and ready-wear industries.

Key points from Sabuncu’s warnings include:

• Türkiye’s ready-wear exports have fallen from $21 billion to $16 billion

• Egypt is actively trying to attract Turkish companies, offering incentives and attempting to pull production away from Türkiye.

• Despite these pressures, Koton still sources 81% of production within Türkiye and continues to resist relocatio.n

Sabuncu noted that Türkiye, once among the world’s top three ready-wear exporters, has already slid further down the global rankings.

Structural Problems: “We Produce, Others Take the Profit”

TÜRKONFED President Süleyman Sönmez pointed to deeper, long-term structural challenges facing Turkish industry. He contrasted Türkiye’s stagnant technological output with China’s rapidly increasing share of high-tech exports.

Sönmez explained that:

• China’s high-tech product share in exports has approached 30%

• Türkiye’s remains stuck at 3–4%

• This imbalance leaves Türkiye producing low-value goods while higher profits flow elsewhere.

His conclusion was blunt: Türkiye remains trapped in a low-value, low-margin production cycle, weakening competitiveness across multiple sectors.

A Convergence of Crises Across Food and Industry

Taken together, the warnings from leading voices in retail, manufacturing, and business advocacy indicate a broader economic tension. From farmers retreating from their fields to textile exporters losing global ground, structural weaknesses are emerging across sectors.

If reforms in production, technology investment, and supply chain efficiency are not accelerated, Türkiye may face a future where both food availability and industrial competitiveness are at risk.