Food Prices in Turkey: Mixed Trends in April as Costs and Supply Pressures Shift
According to Union of Turkish Chambers of Agriculture President Şemsi Bayraktar, April brought a mixed picture for food prices across Turkey. Out of 31 products monitored at the producer level, prices increased in 10, dropped in 12, and remained unchanged in 9.
Huge Price Gaps Between Farmers and Markets
One of the most striking takeaways is the massive gap between producer and retail prices. Apples topped the list, with a difference of nearly 394 percent. Carrots, green onions, lettuce, and leeks followed closely behind.
To put that into perspective, apples sold for around 18.75 TL at the producer level but reached over 92 TL in markets. Similar markups were seen across several fresh produce items, highlighting ongoing inefficiencies and supply chain costs.
What Went Up and What Went Down
In retail markets, green onions saw the sharpest increase in April, followed by spinach, dry onions, chickpeas, and olive oil. On the flip side, eggplant experienced a dramatic drop in price, along with cucumbers, green peppers, cauliflower, and zucchini.
At the producer level, dry onions recorded the highest price increase, while eggplant again led the declines. Other products like peppers, apples, carrots, and cucumbers also saw notable decreases.
Weather and Supply Are Driving Prices
Weather conditions played a major role. Prolonged rainfall caused spoilage in stored potatoes and onions, reducing supply and pushing prices up. At the same time, new harvests in the Çukurova region have started to enter the market.
In contrast, favorable growing conditions increased yields for some crops, leading to lower prices for products like eggplant, peppers, and cucumbers. Reduced demand also contributed to falling prices for apples and carrots.
Input Costs Continue to Rise
Farmers are also facing rising input costs. Fertilizer prices saw significant monthly increases, with some types rising over 20 percent in just one month. Compared to last year, fertilizer costs have surged dramatically, in some cases more than doubling.
Feed prices for livestock also increased, both monthly and annually. Electricity and agricultural chemicals followed a similar upward trend, adding further pressure on production costs.
Fuel prices offered a slight relief on a monthly basis, but on a yearly scale, diesel costs remain significantly higher.
The Bigger Picture
Overall, April reflects a volatile balance between supply disruptions, weather impacts, and rising production costs. While some products became cheaper due to increased supply, others saw sharp increases driven by shortages and cost pressures.
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