Türkiye has introduced a broad agricultural credit and rural investment program aimed at enhancing food production, supporting farmers, and improving rural infrastructure amid high production costs.
The package, effective as of this week, offers subsidized loans for greenhouse and livestock investments, grants for agricultural development, and compensation for climate-related crop losses.
Officials say the initiative is designed to increase agricultural efficiency, support small and medium-sized producers, and contribute to national food security goals amid ongoing economic and climate-linked challenges.
The package includes long-term credit facilities and incentives for young and female farmers, as Türkiye's farmer population is aging and on the decline.
A study released in April by the Union of Turkish Agricultural Chambers showed the average age of Turkish farmers reached 59 last year, signaling a concerning exodus of youth from rural agriculture.
One of the main features of the program is a loan facility of up to 10 million Turkish lira (approximately 250,000 U.S. dollars) for each controlled greenhouse investment.
Complementing the credit schemes are 10.2 billion lira (255 million dollars) in grants for 7,160 projects consisting of the processing, packaging, and storage of agricultural products, as well as individual irrigation.
While stakeholders welcomed the scope of the support measures, experts emphasize the importance of sustained investment in the sector.
Abdullah Aysu, an agricultural advocate and founder of the Confederation of Farmers' Unions, noted that while the package provides significant resources, long-term results depend on consistent follow-through.
"This support is a step in the right direction, but the agricultural sector still needs stable input costs, especially in fertilizers, seeds, and diesel, to ensure continuous productivity," he told Xinhua.
"Many young people leave farming not just because of a lack of financing, but because agricultural income is unstable and market access is limited," he said.
According to data issued in May by the Turkish Statistical Institute, agriculture accounted for 14.5 percent of total employment in 2024, a drop from more than 24 percent in 2011, reflecting a long-term trend of declining agricultural employment in Türkiye.
Officials said separate funds will be made available to modernize irrigation systems, a priority given the country's increasing vulnerability to droughts linked to climate change.
The Turkish government's renewed focus on agriculture also reflects growing concerns about food security.
Amid global supply chain disruptions, rising input costs, and climate-linked yield drops, Türkiye, despite its agricultural potential, has seen spikes in food inflation and an increased reliance on imports of staple products like wheat, pulses, and oilseeds.
Ali Ekber Yildirim, an agricultural journalist and author, said that the success of the package depends on strategic planning and rural organization.
"Grants and credit programs are vital, but deeper reforms are needed to improve land consolidation, expand cooperatives, and modernize logistics," he told Xinhua.
The package comes at a time when Türkiye's economic indicators are showing gradual improvement. Annual inflation eased to 35.05 percent in June, beating expectations. Lower food price growth is expected to reduce pressure on consumers and improve economic conditions for producers.
Analysts say the new credit and grant measures could further ease supply-side constraints in agriculture and help moderate future inflation.
Rural households, particularly in the country's eastern and central regions, have faced elevated input costs and limited access to capital in recent years.
Veli Gelen, a veteran farmer from the northwestern Eskisehir province, said that in recent years, inflationary pressures had a deep impact on medium-sized businesses like his own.
"Because of high production costs that have tripled in the past years, our earnings dropped significantly," he told Xinhua, hoping that the new scheme would support farmers like him.
The credit package is part of a wider national strategy to enhance food security, increase domestic production, and reduce dependence on imports.
"Programs like this can support the sector not only economically but also technologically," said Yildirim. "If properly implemented, they can lead to long-term improvements in efficiency." ■