Turkey in a bid to defer farmer's debts due to drought

"We reached to the decision of giving special aid and support to the farmers living in the drought stricken provinces in Turkey," said Eker following a meeting held with the government's economy officials.    Â

 

According to decision, the debts of the farmers who suffered losses because of the drought in the region will be postponed interest free for one year. Farmers living in the country’s southeastern provinces, including Diyarbakir, Urfa, Batman, Gaziantep, Mardin, Siirt, Adiyaman will benefit from the debt-deferral.

 

"We will pay for seed support for farmers, after an assessment of the damage on a farm-by-farm basis," said Eker, adding that the assessment process had already started.   Â

 

According to the research conducted by the region's agricultural chambers, the drought has affected 90 percent of the grain and pulse cultivated areas and killed 15 million dekare (3.7 million acres) of crops.Â

Drought in the region has not only affected farming but also affected cattle-dealing by drying animal feeding grounds especially in Diyarbakir, Mardin, Sanliurfa and Adiyaman provinces.

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Photo: DHA