Turkey
 
ISTANBUL, TURKEY — As part of its new agricultural budget, the government of Turkey plans to grant $3.89 billion in agricultural subsidies to all agricultural producers, including livestock farmers in 2018, a 15% increase over last year, according to an April 6 Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

According to the subsidy details announced in the Official Gazette about the Cabinet Decision on Agricultural Support in 2018, the important update to 2018 subsidies is that the fuel subsidy is increased. The Turkish government promises to subsidize half of farmers’ fuel costs in 2018, the report said.

Fertilizer and soil analysis subsidies remain the same as last year, and premiums also remain the same, except there was a premium increase for some pulses and forage crops, the report said.

According to Turkey’s Agricultural Basin Based Support Scheme, which came into force in 2017, Turkey is divided into different agricultural basins based on climate and soil categories to subsidize specific crops for each zone.

Farmers can only receive subsidies if they have planted crops that the government deems suitable for their region and has put on the basin list for their particular location.