Farm aid to hike 16.9 pct next year

ANKARA

The Turkish government plans to increase support to farmers 16.9 percent year-on-year in 2013 to 9.1 billion Turkish Liras, according 2013 budget.

The Turkish government increased the agricultural support budget for 2013 by 16.9 percent to 9.1 billion Turkish Liras in this year’s estimated budget, a rise from the 7.8 billion liras allocated last year.

The main items in the budget are area-based agricultural support, product-based premium support or difference payments and stockbreeding support payments, according to Anatolia news agency.

Support for main inputs in farming such as diesel and fertilizer also increased. The government raised diesel supports to 630 million liras for 2013 from 581 million liras in 2012. The figures for fertilizer are 760 million liras and 695 million liras, respectively.

More than 3.1 billion liras will be allocated for premium supports according to next year’s budget, while stockbreeding support is planned to exceed 2.4 billion liras.

However, Hürriyet reported Oct. 29 that the same budget cut direct income support, which is paid in cash, by half. The ratio of direct income support to the gross domestic product will decrease from 0.2 percent to 0.1 percent next year. The government will also cut free coal distribution to poor households, Hürriyet said.