Turkey’s
economy was weak well before February’s devastating earthquakes, but damages to
the country’s agricultural sector, one of its most important industries, could
push Turkey over the edge. With the growing
season fast approaching, farmers in the
earthquake zone need immediate assistance to stave off nationwide food
shortages.
اضافة اعلان
Food-related
consequences of the disaster have already surfaced. Within a week of the
quakes, the price of beef
surged following destruction of
the region’s slaughter houses. Supplies were also affected, as the hardest-hit
provinces account for 12 percent
of Turkey’s cattle industry. Since January, a
kilogram of meat has climbed nearly 40 percent, to 180 lira (about
$9.50).
Other
food commodities also have been steadily
increasing. In February, a
basket of food increased seven percent, with
vegetables surging 24 percent and
fruits 10 percent.
Foodstuff inflation is bound to continue, especially if food production in
earthquake-hit areas does not rebound quickly.
Only about 20 percent of Turkey’s farmers are insured, and many vegetable growers are not, leaving the bulk of the country’s food producers reliant on small government grants for production
Inflation
is not a new problem in Turkey. The Turkish
Statistical Institute reported
that Turkey’s yearly inflation rate for January 2023 was 57 percent,
while ENAG, an independent research institute, puts it at 121
percent. Leaders had been predicting
that inflation would
decline before elections in May,
but that now seems unlikely. An estimated $25
billion in earthquake-related production losses will
add to inflationary pressure, especially food prices.
Vegetables,
villages, and government grantsThe
10 provinces hit by the earthquakes play an important role in feeding the
country. Together they account for 15.5
percent of Turkey’s total agricultural output,
with production worth more than 85 billion
lira. Around 20 percent
of that is in vegetables. More than 13 percent
of Turkey’s registered farmers are
located in this region, and most live in villages that were totally destroyed
and remain cut off from aid.
Some
farmers have been compensated for their losses. Turkey’s Agricultural Insurance
Pool (TARSIM) has paid out
11 million lira in insurance claims since
the disaster. But only about 20 percent
of Turkey’s farmers are insured,
and many vegetable growers are not, leaving the bulk of the country’s food
producers reliant on small government grants for production.
Turkey’s
fields should soon be
sown with millet, rice,
soybeans, and sunflower. To meet this seasonal calendar, and to help the
country avert a food shortage, growers need support in securing seeds,
fertilizers, and diesel fuel. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has said
it will
provide cash payments of 2.8
billion lira for registered, earthquake-stricken farmers.
The
labor crisisYet,
even if these promises are kept, the issue of labor remains unclear. How will
those who lost their homes, families, and friends be convinced to return to
work and till the land? And if not them, then who?
Agriculture is a time-sensitive industry, and the window for picking fruit and planting vegetables is quickly closing. The government needs an action plan immediately.
Labor
shortages may be the biggest hurdle to overcome for Turkey’s agricultural
sector. Some 100,000
tonnes of lemons in Hatay province,
which exported $186 million worth of citrus in 2022, remain on trees with no
one to collect them. Another 300,000 tonnes are stuck in depots waiting to be
distributed.
Agriculture
is a time-sensitive industry, and the window for picking fruit and planting
vegetables is quickly closing. The government needs an action plan
immediately.
Where
to dump the rubble?Unfortunately,
Ankara does not appear up to the task. Now, the government is simply struggling
to dig out. The UN Development Program estimates that as much as 210
million tonnes of rubble was
generated when thousands of buildings collapsed in the quakes, an unparalleled
amount of waste for a single disaster. By comparison, the 1999 earthquake in
Marmara, Turkey, produced
13 million tonnes.
For
the country’s leaders, just clearing debris has proven controversial. Turks
have balked at images shared on social media showing rubble being dumped into
lakes, rivers, and along the coast, disposal methods that could cause
irreversible environmental damage. One widely-shared image shows mounds of
waste piling up on Hatay’s sea coast, home to turtles and more than 300 different
bird species. A video from a village in Gaziantep shows debris being dumped
into retention ponds that farmers
use for their livestock.
The
cost of rebuildingTurkey
is facing a recovery of epic proportions. In a recent report, the World Bank
estimated direct physical damage from the quakes to be $34.2
billion, about four percent of
Turkey’s 2021 GDP. Rebuilding costs could be twice that amount or even
more. Louisa Vinton, the UNDP’s
representative in Turkey, said the damage amounted to more than
$100 billion.
While little could have been done to earthquake-proof Turkey’s agricultural network, how the government responds will go a long way in protecting the sector from future disasters.
While
little could have been done to earthquake-proof Turkey’s agricultural network,
how the government responds will go a long way in protecting the sector from
future disasters. Failing to provide for and fulfill the needs of farmers will
give rise to long-lasting food security issues.
Turkey
can still avoid another crisis, but to do so, a long-term and sustainable rural
economic infrastructure plan needs to be established to keep farmers working,
and the country fed.
Alexandra
de Cramer is a journalist based in Istanbul. She reported on the Arab Spring from
Beirut as a Middle East correspondent for Milliyet newspaper. Her work ranges
from current affairs to culture, and has been featured in Monocle, Courier
Magazine, Maison Francaise, and Istanbul Art News. Copyright: Syndication
Bureau.
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