March 2, 2024 (EIRNS)—So far, Turkish farmers have not taken to the streets in protest, but there are numerous reasons for them to change their mind on that—the rising debt to private banks being a leading concern. The amount that farmers owe the banks rose by 80% last year. According to official statistics, they now owe the banks 118 times more than 19 years ago.
In contrast, financial government aid has only increased twenty-fold over the same period, explains MP Orhan Saribal from the major opposition, the Republican People’s Party (CHP). He is an agricultural engineer and farmer. “In 2004, the loans used for production in agriculture, forestry and animal husbandry amounted to 1.7 times as much as state aid. In 2023, the loans amounted to 9.6 times as much,” says Saribal.
