Türkiye agricultural costs rise amid high meat and production prices

Agricultural producers in Türkiye are facing severe economic pressure due to rising production costs and supply chain inefficiencies. Despite the sheep and goat population reaching approximately 57.87 million, red meat prices remain high for consumers. Lamb carcass meat is priced at ₺616.14 per kilogram, while retail prices for diced lamb and chops reach significantly higher levels.

Turan Saldiricier, chairman of the Central Union of Turkish Sheep and Goat Breeders (TUDKIYEB), noted that increasing livestock numbers alone will not lower prices without improvements in reproductive efficiency, mortality reduction, and feed cost management. He also highlighted that transportation, refrigeration, and labor costs contribute to the gap between wholesale and retail prices.

Broadly, the agricultural sector is struggling with escalating costs for fuel, fertilizer, irrigation, and credit. Data from the Turkish Statistical Institute shows that agricultural input prices rose by 27.62% annually as of July 2026, outpacing the increase in producer prices for agricultural products. Farmers report that these rising expenses, combined with high debt and uncertain selling prices, threaten their ability to continue production in future seasons.