Turkish food prices show high volatility and producer-retail gaps in August

The Union of Chambers of Agriculture of Türkiye (TZOB) reported significant fluctuations in food prices during August. In grocery markets, 19 out of 37 tracked products saw price increases, while 18 saw declines. Egg prices recorded the highest monthly increase at 37.8% in retail, driven by rising feed, energy, and transport costs. Other notable increases included green beans (19%) and green onions (11.1%). Conversely, long green peppers saw the largest retail decline at 34.2%.

A substantial gap persists between producer and retail prices. The largest discrepancy was found in lemons, which sold for 84.84 lira per kilogram in stores compared to 10 lira at the producer level—an 8.5-fold difference. Other significant gaps included carrots (4.8x), apples (4.8x), zucchini (3.4x), and green onions (3.4x).

At the producer level, lemon prices dropped by 75% due to increased supply and seasonal harvests. Meanwhile, egg prices rose by 39.9% for producers.

Separately, business leaders at the Kayseri Chamber of Commerce (KTO) expressed concerns regarding high financing costs and the need for a predictable economic environment. The KTO also announced the approval of the Kayseri TEKMER Project to support innovation in robotics, software, and artificial intelligence.