Türkiye to lease farmlands left uncultivated for 2 years

ANKARA

In a newly introduced measure to enhance agricultural productivity in Türkiye, the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry will lease out agricultural lands that have not been cultivated for two consecutive years.

According to the regulation, which was published in the Official Gazette and came into effect as of Aug. 22, land that is rented due to inactivity cannot be repurposed for non-agricultural uses and will be leased on a seasonal basis.

It will be obligatory for the lessee to engage in agricultural cultivation on the leased land.

In a bid to identify unutilized lands for leasing, land identification commissions will be established at the provincial and district levels.

These commissions will determine these lands based on cadastral parcel data, satellite imagery, geographic information systems, data obtained from other public institutions and on-site land inspections.

The identification of uncultivated agricultural lands will take into account the period between Sept. 1 of the current year and the harvest season, which varies by region, extending up to Aug. 31 of the following year at the latest.

If a portion of a parcel is cultivated while another portion remains fallow, the uncultivated section will also be included in the leasing process.

The commission will publish the finalized list of agricultural lands available for lease on an electronic platform and the provincial directorate’s website for a period of seven days.

Priority in leasing will be given to those residing in the locality where the land is situated, as well as to civil society organizations and professional chambers.

Leased agricultural lands will be registered in the systems designated by the ministry, and lessees will be eligible to benefit from agricultural subsidies related to these lands.

The rent will be paid to the landowner. In cases where the landowner or rightful beneficiaries cannot be reached, the payments will be deposited in a dedicated account with a public bank, accruing interest on a quarterly basis.

To ascertain the fair rental price of agricultural lands, at least three lands with similar characteristics and located in the same region will be identified for comparison.

Agriculture holds a significant share in Türkiye’s domestic economy and exports.

According to data compiled by the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM), Türkiye’s agricultural exports reached a record level of over $35 billion in 2023.

Agricultural exports constituted 15.9 percent of the country’s total exports last year. The most exported commodities included cereals, pulses, oilseeds and related products to Iraq; fresh fruits and vegetables to Russia; dried fruits and products to Germany; and olives and olive oil to Spain.