Agricultural BAĞ-KUR premiums for producers increased by 49 percent following the announcement of the gross minimum wage

President of the Union of Turkish Chambers of Agriculture (TZOB) Şemsi Bayraktar made a statement regarding the Farmer Registration System (ÇKS), for which applications end on January 2, 2024, and the agricultural BAĞ-KUR premiums determined following the announcement of the new minimum wage. Reminding that the 2023-2024 agricultural production period Farmer Registration System applications, which began on September 1, 2023, will end on January 2, 2024, Bayraktar said, "Our farmers who are active in our chambers of agriculture and producers who have no changes in their land declarations and additional documents can make their ÇKS applications via e-Devlet. However, producers who have changes in their land declarations and additional documents are required to apply in person to the Provincial/District Directorates of Agriculture and Forestry with the 'Farmer Certificate' they will receive from the chamber of agriculture and other requested documents, as per the ÇKS Regulation."

Stating that producers who cultivate approximately 8.24 million hectares of agricultural land in Turkey and cannot meet the ÇKS registration requirements are deprived of support every year, Bayraktar said, "Our Union has expressed at every opportunity that it is unacceptable for our producers who are engaged in production to be unable to receive support due to the registration requirements in the ÇKS Regulation, in an environment where food security is being questioned and agricultural activities are expected to become even more difficult with climate change."

Stating that the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry listened to the voices of farmers who produce and want to produce in 2023, Bayraktar reported that with the amendment to the ÇKS Regulation published in the Official Gazette dated November 18, 2023, registration conditions were regulated and the way was paved for the cultivation and registration of lands that could not be farmed due to inheritance and succession issues. Emphasizing that the registration processes for new lands and farmers have been continuing intensively since November 18, 2023, Bayraktar said, "Since there is little time left for the 2024 ÇKS applications to end, the intensity has increased even more these days. Our chambers of agriculture say that ÇKS registrations cannot be completed in the remaining time. The application period needs to be extended by 1 month so that the projected 3 million hectares of new agricultural land can be registered and our producers can receive support."

TZOB President Şemsi Bayraktar stated that with the announced gross minimum wage, the agricultural BAĞ-KUR premiums of producers have also increased by 49 percent, and spoke as follows:

"The agricultural BAĞ-KUR premium has reached 6,900 Turkish Lira and 86 kuruş from 4,628 Turkish Lira, and with the treasury incentive provided to our farmers who have no premium debt, the agricultural BAĞ-KUR premium has reached 5,900 Turkish Lira and 74 kuruş from 3,957 Turkish Lira and 28 kuruş. The increase in agricultural BAĞ-KUR premiums occurred above the producer price increases. Due to the increasing premium amounts, the number of agricultural BAĞ-KUR members registered with the Social Security Institution (SGK) is decreasing every year. According to SGK data, while 1 million of our farmers were registered in 2021, this number has fallen below 500 thousand this year."

"SGK premiums should be reduced to a more reasonable and affordable level"

Drawing attention to SGK premiums, Bayraktar said, "SGK premiums should be reduced to a more reasonable and affordable level, and the number of premium payment days should be reduced to 15 days. While other insured individuals can retire by paying premiums for 7,200 days, or 20 years, our producers can only retire by paying premiums for 9,000 days, or 25 years. This injustice must be rectified as soon as possible. Our farmers who have stopped their premium payments by documenting that their income is low with an exemption certificate should be allowed to pay for the periods spent in exemption through debt."