Turkish tradespeople face rising costs and economic stagnation

Small business owners and tradespeople in Turkey are facing significant economic pressure due to rising operational costs, tax burdens, and market stagnation. Fatih Erdal, President of the Çorum Furniture Tradesmen and Craftsmen Chamber, highlighted that businesses are struggling to remain operational rather than simply seeking profit. Key challenges include increasing costs for rent, raw materials, energy, and labor, alongside heavy social security (SGK and BAĞ-KUR) and tax obligations. Erdal also noted a shortage of skilled labor and apprentices, calling for policies to direct youth back into production.

In the transportation sector, Mustafa Gülgen, President of the Karacasu Drivers and Minibuses Chamber, reported similar hardships. He cited a significant price gap between minibuses and municipal buses, noting that minibus fares have reached 140 lira compared to 92 lira for municipal buses. This disparity, combined with rising fuel, spare parts, and insurance costs, has forced many operators to reduce service. Gülgen stated that only half of the local minibus fleet is currently operational on any given day, leading to increased wait times for passengers. He called for fairer inspections and fuel support for commercial vehicles.