Hunger threshold rose to 16 thousand 483 liras, poverty threshold to 46 thousand 837 liras in December

The Birleşik Kamu-İş Confederation has announced its Hunger-Poverty Research for December, prepared by taking into account the food and non-food expenditures that a family of four in Ankara must make to be able to eat a balanced and healthy diet. The research, prepared by the R&D unit of Birleşik Kamu-İş, KAMU-AR, and published today, included the following findings:

"THE HUNGER THRESHOLD INCREASED BY 7 THOUSAND 424 LIRAS THROUGHOUT 2023. THE POVERTY THRESHOLD INCREASED BY 20 THOUSAND 713 LIRAS"

"The risk of hunger and poverty in Turkey continues to grow. While the hunger threshold for a family of four increased by another 835 liras in December to reach 16 thousand 483 liras, the poverty threshold approached the 47 thousand lira mark. The hunger threshold increased by 7 thousand 424 liras throughout 2023, and the poverty threshold increased by 20 thousand 713 liras.

While the hunger threshold increased by 835 liras in December compared to the previous month, the expenditure that must be made for non-food needs rose by 956 liras to 30 thousand 354 liras. The poverty threshold, which consists of the sum of both, increased by 1 thousand 791 liras compared to the previous month. Throughout 2023, the hunger threshold increased by 7 thousand 424 liras, and the expenditure that must be made for non-food needs increased by 13 thousand 298 liras. The poverty threshold showed an increase of 20 thousand 713 liras.

"THE AMOUNT THAT MUST BE SPENT MONTHLY ON MEAT, FISH, AND EGGS INCREASED ANNUALLY BY 2 THOUSAND 145 LIRAS TO 4 THOUSAND 537 LIRAS"

According to prices compiled from the markets where the most shopping is done in Ankara, the amount that must be spent monthly on meat, fish, and eggs to eat a balanced diet increased by 279 liras in December compared to the previous month, and by 2 thousand 145 liras annually, reaching 4 thousand 537 liras.

The expenditure that must be made for dried legumes increased by 11 liras compared to the previous month and by 128 liras compared to the same month last year, rising to 356 liras.

There was an increase of 1 thousand 270 liras throughout 2023 in the expenditure that must be made for milk, yogurt, and cheese, which rose by 53 liras compared to the previous month to 3 thousand 725 liras. The money that must be spent on fruit increased by 50 liras in December and by 843 liras compared to the same month last year, reaching 1 thousand 499 liras. Vegetable expenditure increased by 421 liras compared to the previous month and by 1 thousand 124 liras compared to the same month last year, rising to 2 thousand 281 liras.

"THE EXPENDITURE THAT MUST BE MADE FOR PRODUCTS SUCH AS BREAD, FLOUR, AND PASTA ROSE TO 1 THOUSAND 409 LIRAS IN DECEMBER"

While the expenditure that must be made for products such as bread, flour, and pasta increased by 45 liras in December to 1 thousand 409 liras, rice and bulgur expenditures decreased by 52 liras to 673 liras. The expenditure that must be made for oil increased by 4 liras to 458 liras.

The expenditure that must be made for food items such as sugar, honey, molasses, and jam increased by 18 liras in December compared to the previous month to 1 thousand 72 liras. The expenditure that the same family must make for olives remained unchanged at 473 liras.

"AT THE END OF 2023, THE HUNGER THRESHOLD WAS 4 THOUSAND 813 LIRAS FOR AN ADULT MALE, 3 THOUSAND 778 LIRAS FOR AN ADULT FEMALE, AND 2 THOUSAND 748 LIRAS FOR A CHILD"

According to the calculation based on 2,800 calories for an adult male, 2,200 for an adult female, 3,000 for a youth, and 1,600 for a child, the hunger threshold at the end of 2023 was 4 thousand 813 liras for an adult male, 3 thousand 778 liras for an adult female, 2 thousand 748 liras for a child, and 5 thousand 149 liras for a youth.

According to the research, which also takes into account price changes in non-food requirements when determining the poverty threshold, the expenditure amount required for a family of four to meet their non-food requirements 'without feeling a sense of deprivation' also rose to 30 thousand 354 liras in December.

In December, clothing and footwear expenditures for four people fell to 1 thousand 602 liras, while housing (including rent) expenditures rose to 6 thousand 574 liras, household goods expenditures were 3 thousand 951 liras, and health expenditures were 1 thousand 260 liras. Transportation expenditures rose to 9 thousand 438 liras, communication expenditures to 1 thousand 63 liras, entertainment and culture expenditures to 960 liras, education expenditures to 683 liras, holiday-hotel expenditures to 3 thousand 94 liras, and expenditures related to various goods and services rose to 1 thousand 729 liras.

"THE POVERTY THRESHOLD INCREASED BY 1 THOUSAND 791 LIRAS IN DECEMBER TO 46 THOUSAND 837 LIRAS"

The poverty threshold, which shows the total amount of food and non-food expenditures that a family of four must make to live in a way worthy of human dignity without feeling a sense of deprivation, increased by another 1 thousand 791 liras in December to 46 thousand 837 liras. The increase in the poverty threshold over the last one-year period was 20 thousand 713 liras."