Natural disasters damage farmland across Türkiye in first half

ANKARA  

Nearly 90,000 hectares of agricultural land across Türkiye were damaged by natural disasters in the first six months of 2026, according to Semsi Bayraktar, chairman of the Union of Turkish Agricultural Chambers (TZOB).

Bayraktar said floods and inundations, excessive rainfall, hailstorms, storms, frost, heavy snowfall, tornadoes and landslides caused damage to agricultural production during the January-June period.

According to Bayraktar, floods and inundations were recorded in 28 provinces, frost in 22 provinces, excessive rainfall in 14 provinces, hail in 14 provinces, storms in nine provinces, heavy snowfall in nine provinces, and landslides and tornadoes in six provinces each during the first half of 2026.

“The increasing intensity of disasters and the pressure they place on agricultural production can be clearly seen with each passing year. Disasters not only cause crop losses, but also result in all expenditures made by producers throughout the season, including seeds, fertilizer, pesticides, fuel and labor, being wasted,” he said.

He noted that after 2025, which was described as a “year of disasters” for agriculture, natural disasters have continued in 2026 as well.

Bayraktar said TZOB has consistently emphasized the importance of agricultural insurance, but insurance coverage among farmers remains low. He said one of the main reasons is that insurance premiums are high relative to farmers’ incomes despite state support.

Bayraktar also noted that the number and severity of natural disasters have increased in recent years both globally and in Türkiye. Citing a report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), he said the average annual damage caused by natural disasters to the global agricultural sector rose from $64 billion in the 1990s to $144 billion in recent years.