Rice Producers in Edirne Suffer Losses Due to Rising Costs

September 27, 2026 · Tarım Pusulası

In Edirne's rice harvest, escalating input costs and falling purchase prices have led to approximately 20 Turkish Lira in losses per kilogram for producers.

In Edirne, where the rice harvest has begun, producers are facing a severe financial crisis due to rising input costs and declining purchase prices. Prof. Dr. Okan Gaytancıoğlu, a faculty member at Trakya University's Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Economics, stated during an on-site assessment with producers that rice, which found buyers at 42,000 Lira per ton last year, has dropped to 36,000 Lira this year. According to calculations by agricultural chambers and the Rice Producers' Union, per-decare production costs have reached 38-40,000 Lira, bringing the cost per kilogram to approximately 47 Lira, based on an 800-kilogram yield. A young farmer described the selling price of the product with the following words:

In response to the farmer's statement, Gaytancıoğlu emphasized that the producer is incurring a loss of approximately 20 Lira per kilogram.

Gaytancıoğlu pointed out the rapid increase in essential inputs for the production process, announcing that the price of diesel fuel, which was around 60 Lira per liter when cost calculations were made, has now reached 95 Lira. Facing helplessness against escalating expenses for electricity, fertilizer, seeds, and labor, a rice producer summarized their situation with the following words:

Prof. Dr. Okan Gaytancıoğlu stated that domestic producers are being crushed by rising expenses and drew attention to the negative effects of foreign procurement policies on producers, recalling that 100 million dollars were paid for rice imports from China, India, and Thailand in the first six months of 2026.

Gaytancıoğlu argued that the selling price per kilogram must be at least 55 Lira for producers to remain in the field and cover their costs, calling for urgent intervention from regulatory bodies. Prof. Dr. Okan Gaytancıoğlu, a faculty member at Trakya University's Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Economics, pointed to the market losses and made the following call:

Okan Gaytancıoğlu, highlighting Edirne's critical role in Turkey's rice production, demanded that steps be taken to meet the expectations of producers and that domestic production be effectively protected during the visit of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to the region.

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