Turkey 2027 budget and agricultural funding debates

The Turkish Grand National Assembly Plan and Budget Commission approved 2027 budget proposals for the Parliament Presidency, the Institution of the Ombudsman, and the Court of Accounts. During these sessions, Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş addressed parliamentary staff rights and noted a decline in the rejection rate of parliamentary questions to 0.82 percent. Opposition members, including CHP Member of Parliament Ömer Fethi Gürer, criticized the budget for prioritizing interest payments and capital over social welfare for workers, retirees, women, and youth. A significant point of contention involves agricultural funding: Gürer stated that while the Agriculture Law mandates support equal to 1 percent of the gross national income, the proposed 235 billion lira allocation leaves an 877 billion lira gap. He also noted that farmers' debt to banks has reached 1.511 trillion lira. In response to these economic pressures, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has detailed plans to increase livestock sector support. Minister İbrahim Yumaklı announced a planned 41.5 percent increase for 2027, targeting 54.5 billion TL. This follows a 39.5 percent increase in 2026, which brought support to 38.5 billion TL. Yumaklı emphasized a shift from quantity to quality in production, noting that over the last 24 years, 663 billion TL has been provided to the livestock sector, contributing to an 80 percent increase in cattle and a 144 percent increase in red meat production. Speaking at the opening of the Genomic Test Center, Yumaklı stated the goal is to utilize science and technology to ensure more efficient, healthy, and high-quality production to bolster food security and rural development. New measures include the state covering vaccine and ear tag fees, and doubling compensation for livestock losses due to infectious diseases. Specifically, calf loss support will rise to 20,000 lira, while lamb or goat support will reach 4,000 lira.