Turkey restricts cooperatives from acquiring agricultural land

The General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre has implemented a new regulation restricting cooperatives governed by Law No. 1163 from acquiring ownership or limited real rights over certain agricultural lands. This measure, introduced via an amendment to Circular 2022/5, specifically targets lands located outside village settlement areas.

The restriction extends beyond simple land purchases to include limited real rights such as easements, usufruct, superior rights, and mortgages. The primary objective is to prevent the use of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes, specifically addressing the trend of dividing land into small plots for hobby gardens through cooperative models.

Certain agricultural entities are exempt from these restrictions, including Agricultural Credit Cooperatives and Agricultural Sales Cooperatives. Other specialized groups, such as irrigation, forestry, and fisheries cooperatives, may still operate under specific conditions, often requiring consultation with provincial or district directorates of agriculture and forestry. The regulation applies to future acquisitions and does not automatically invalidate existing hobby gardens or current title deeds.