Turkish agricultural sector faces widespread economic pressure

agricultural crisis commodity prices import policies Turkish farmers TMO

Turkish agricultural producers are facing widespread economic distress due to rising input costs, price volatility, and import policies. In several sectors, farmers report significant losses. For instance, lemon producers in Silifke suffered losses after storing crops in hopes of higher prices, while chickpea and raisin growers are calling on the Toprak Mahsulleri Ofisi (TMO) to establish floor prices to combat market uncertainty and competition from imports.

Import decisions have also drawn criticism. Sunflower and onion producers have expressed frustration over reduced customs duties on imports during harvest periods, which they claim depresses local prices. In Tokat, recent flooding has devastated thousands of decares of farmland, leaving farmers burdened by both crop loss and debt.

Conversely, some regions report positive developments. Tekirdağ is seeing the distribution of its geographically indicated onion, and Siirt is preparing for a high-yield pistachio harvest following favorable rainfall. In Adana, certain crops have seen high quality and yields, with some products fetching up to 100 TL per kilogram. Despite these successes, the overarching sentiment among agricultural leaders remains a call for better financial support, updated credit limits, and more protective trade policies to ensure long-term sustainability.

Entities

Gaziantep · Gökhan Günaydın · Manisa · Mehmet Aksoy · Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry · Onion Producers and Suppliers Association · Sacit Vardas · Tekirdağ · Tekirdağ Tarım ve Orman İl Müdürlüğü · Toprak Mahsulleri Ofisi · Turkey · Turkish Statistical Institute

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 2 SOURCES] Tekirdağ onions are highly resilient and can be grown in arid, non-irrigated lands.
[● 2 SOURCES] Approximately 5,700 tons of Tekirdağ onion are expected to be harvested from 4,400 decares of land this year.
[○ 1 SOURCE] Dry onion production in Turkey is expected to decrease by 13.5 percent to approximately 2.5 million tons in the 2026 season. www.sozcu.com.tr
[○ 1 SOURCE] The extension of the 5 percent customs duty on dry onion imports until January 31, 2027, harms local producers. www.sozcu.com.tr
[● 3 SOURCES] Tekirdağ onion is used as a primary stock for green onion production because it produces at least 3-4 eyes when split.
[○ 1 SOURCE] İsmail Sancakçavuşu called for the implementation of floor prices for sunflower and wheat crops. hudutgazetesi.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] The Turkish Grain Board (TMO) set the wheat purchase price at 16.75 TL. hudutgazetesi.com
[● 2 SOURCES] Agricultural producers reported significant increases in the costs of fertilizer, diesel, and electricity.
[● 2 SOURCES] Farmers in Niğde expressed a preference for reducing input costs, such as fertilizer and fuel, over receiving direct government subsidies.
[○ 1 SOURCE] TMO announced that payments for wheat would be processed within 20 to 30 days. hudutgazetesi.com