Shepherds Unfindable Despite Monthly Salaries Reaching 150,000 Liras
· Dünya Gazetesi
In Tunceli, small ruminant breeders are struggling to find shepherds despite record salary offers of up to 150,000 liras per month, as rising costs threaten the region's livestock population.
Shepherd Salaries Reach Record Highs
Small ruminant breeders across Tunceli are facing immense difficulty in finding shepherds to entrust their flocks to, despite offering record salaries ranging from 100,000 to 150,000 liras per month. Producers note that wages, which reached up to 130,000 liras in the same period last year, have increased further this year. Despite covering all expenses such as feed, sustenance, and accommodation, they are unable to secure labor. Mehmet Demir, a small ruminant producer operating in the Ferhat Çayırı Plateau, stated:
"We are paying between 100-150 thousand liras per month. They still don't accept it."
High Costs Threaten Livestock Farming
While attempts are being made to fill the labor gap in the region with foreign shepherds, primarily from Afghanistan, the issue is exacerbated by shepherds abandoning the job shortly after starting. Önder Erdoğan, a small ruminant producer who continues the family tradition of small ruminant farming, highlighted the conditions offered for milking and care work, explaining the situation:
"Despite this price, we can't even find a shepherd. That's why our shepherd problem is significant."
In addition to shepherd expenses, the escalating costs of feed and medication are completely consuming producers' incomes.
Warning Issued on Declining Livestock Numbers
Zeynel Erdoğan, President of the Tunceli Sheep and Goat Breeders Association, noted that the lowest monthly salary paid to shepherds across the province is 120,000 liras, with the highest reaching 145,000 liras. Reminding that some businesses employ four shepherds simultaneously, President Erdoğan issued an urgent warning that if the rising costs of shepherds, feed, and medication cannot be resolved, the region could experience a very significant decline in its small ruminant population within less than 10 years.