Adverse weather conditions and sudden shifts in temperatures have negatively impacted agricultural production and crops in Türkiye, which officials described as one of the "biggest frost events" in the country's recent history, while pledging to stand by producers.

"In March and April, but especially in the last three-day period (April 10-12), we were faced with frost, snowfall and hail as a result of sudden drops in air temperatures," Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumaklı said in a post on X.

He noted that temperatures dropped to minus 15 degrees Celsius (5 degrees Fahrenheit) in some places in the last three days while suggesting that some regions recorded the lowest temperatures in the last 30 years.

Indeed, even the capital Ankara witnessed heavy snowfall in the past days, while the weather temperatures in other provinces fluctuated, including Istanbul, which was under the influence of a cold snap from the Baltic and Europe.

"As a result of these adverse weather conditions, we, unfortunately, experienced one of the biggest agricultural frost events in our history after the great agricultural frost event of 2014," Yumaklı further said, wishing all producers and farmers a speedy recovery.

"As the ministry, we have been in the field and with our producers 24/7 for days to minimize the negative impact. All our teams continue their detection work," he added.

He also said that producers affected by frost and hail can report damage to the provincial or district directorates of the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry and that insured producers can report damage to the ALO TARSIM 172 hotline and agencies.

"As the ministry, we will continue to stand by our producers to ensure the continuity of production after this frost event, which has covered the largest area in recent years, as we have always done," he pledged.

The frost has primarily affected fruit trees and early vegetable fields, impacting the production of a variety of products, including apples and apricots.

The province of Malatya, in eastern Türkiye, traditionally known for its apricot production was one of numerous provinces where the crops were damaged due to the frost. Other locations included central Anatolian provinces such as Kayseri and Niğde, southwestern provinces of Izmir, Uşak, Manisa and Denizli, and northwestern Sakarya and Tekirdağ, among others.

In Niğde, one of Türkiye's important apple production centers, apple orchards were severely damaged due to unexpected cold weather and agricultural frost.

"Everything was going well this year and the flower buds were very good. We had hopes that the yield would reach 650,000 tons again. Last year's heat and this year's cold on April 11 are not things we experience very often," Niğde Apple Producers Association President Atilla Kaplan told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Sunday.

"Frost protection methods do not mean anything in these cold weather conditions. We can provide a temperature increase of about 2 degrees Celsius with these methods, but in an extreme situation, we are really helpless. As producers, we are helpless," he said.

Agriculture is one of the strong sectors of the Turkish economy, with the country exporting goods worth over $36 billion from the sector last year, according to data from the Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TIM).

Recently, Turkish authorities have imposed a temporary halt on exports of lemons from the country, citing frost conditions, before lifting it shortly after.

Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB) President Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that, "The recent agricultural frost disaster has caused serious damage to production."

"Complaints from our Commodity Exchange presidents and producers indicate that we are facing a major agricultural frost event. To maintain production, our producers must be supported, and we must stand with our farmers in need," he said in a post on the social media platform X.

Hisarcıklıoğlu also noted that producers are requesting additional public support and the interest-free deferral of debts from all banks, starting from Ziraat Bank. He added that there is an expectation for special sensitivity from TARSIM (the Agricultural Insurance Pool) regarding insurance matters, and he also wishes a speedy recovery to all producers and farmers.

"The agricultural frost events that have recently impacted many parts of our country have negatively affected agricultural production in several regions, leading to significant losses, particularly in field and garden crops. I extend my best wishes to all producers affected by these adverse weather conditions and hope that similar disasters do not occur again," Ahmet Güldal, the general manager of the Turkish Grain Board (TMO), similarly said.

Source - https://www.dailysabah.com