Turkish farmers protest new sugar beet purchase prices

Türkiye Şeker Fabrikaları A.Ş. (TÜRKŞEKER) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry have announced the sugar beet purchase price for the 2026-2027 production year at 3,720 TL per ton, including the quota completion premium.

The announcement has met with widespread criticism from farmers and agricultural cooperatives across Turkey. Producers in regions such as Sivas, Eskişehir, Erzincan, and Ereğli have expressed disappointment, stating that the price is insufficient to cover the sharply rising costs of essential inputs. Key expenses cited include diesel fuel, fertilizer, irrigation, labor, and transportation.

Agricultural representatives, including the Odunpazarı Chamber of Agriculture and the Erzincan Sugar Beet Growers Cooperative, have warned that if prices are not revised, production may decline. Some officials have even called on farmers to stop planting sugar beets next year due to the lack of profitability. While TÜRKŞEKER emphasizes that the contract farming model provides market and purchase guarantees, producers argue that the net income after expenses does not sustain their livelihoods.