Parliamentary commission established to probe agricultural frost
ANKARA
The Turkish parliament has ratified the establishment of a special commission tasked with conducting a three-month inquiry into the impacts of what officials have described as the most severe agricultural frost event in recent years.
Occurring between April 10 and 12, the frost decimated nearly half of the country’s field crops.
Experts warn that the damage could cause prices for certain agricultural products to rise by as much as 50 percent, potentially forcing Türkiye to consider fruit imports to stabilize the market.
The initiative to convene the commission received unanimous backing from all political parties, culminating in a jointly submitted parliamentary motion. Following deliberations held late on April 15, the General Assembly officially endorsed the proposal, thereby inaugurating the commission's mandate.
The commission will examine the agricultural frost disaster in depth, assess its effects on production and evaluate possible solutions for three months.
Lawmakers will visit affected regions to observe conditions firsthand, while expert witnesses will be invited to the parliament to advise on precautionary measures.
Representatives from relevant ministries and public institutions will also be summoned to provide information.
Once the commission concludes its work, it will prepare a detailed report including proposed legislative measures and recommendations to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Speaking after a cabinet meeting on April 15, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the government launched efforts to compensate farmers for their losses. He also stated that there is currently no threat to national food security.
Climate law talks postponed
Meanwhile, discussions in the parliament on Türkiye’s proposed climate law —the first of its kind in the country — have been postponed.
The bill, which aims to support Türkiye’s 2053 net-zero emissions and green growth targets, was sent back to the committee level for further review following criticism from opposition lawmakers and environmental experts.
The draft law includes provisions for disaster risk reduction, climate-resilient cities and water and food security.
Some MPs argued that the current version of the bill does not adequately address urgent environmental challenges.
Although its first four articles passed in the general assembly, the bill will now be reevaluated and possibly revised before being brought back to the floor.
