Association asks for delay in farmers’ debts as Russian crisis, natural disasters hit sector

ANKARA

DHA photo

The head of the Agriculturalists Association of Turkey (TZOB) has asked for the postponement of farmers’ debt, noting that the sector’s losses had reached $375 million over the year due to political problems with Russia and a series of natural disasters. 
“Our agricultural producers, who already suffered from a series of natural disasters in the last six years, have seen huge losses due to the diplomatic crisis with Russia. Turkey lost over $375 million in food and agricultural product exports to Russia over this year. Our farmers have been squeezed out under these heavy burdens,” Şemsi Bayraktar said in a press meeting in Ankara on Aug. 31.

“The sector’s exports have been negatively affected since sanctions were imposed by Russia on Jan. 1. Turkey’s food exports to Russia plunged by 80.5 percent on an amount basis and 78.5 percent on a value basis in the first seven months of the year compared to the same period of 2015,” he said.

Bayraktar said the debts of Turkey’s farmers were postponed in a series of periods, yet it was now impossible for them to repay them at once. “Their debts must be restructured with a view to a long-term perspective,” he said, adding that the association had been in talks with the Economy Ministry to boost exports.