Hunger threshold surpasses minimum wage! In just 25 days...

The results of the research conducted by KAMU-AR, the R&D unit of the United Public Workers Union (Birleşik Kamu-İş), have been announced.

Accordingly, the hunger threshold for a family of four in Ankara rose to 17,442 liras in January, while the poverty threshold reached 48,459 liras.

In December 2023, the hunger threshold was announced as 16,483 liras. It increased by 959 liras in one month to reach 17,442 liras. The poverty threshold for December was announced as 46,837 liras, and this month it rose by 1,622 liras to reach 48,459 liras.

Over the last year, the hunger threshold recorded an increase of 7,646 liras, the expenditure required for non-food needs increased by 13,855 liras, and the poverty threshold recorded an increase of 21,501 liras.

INCREASE IN FOOD EXPENDITURE

According to prices compiled from the most frequented markets in Ankara, the monthly amount that needs to be spent on meat, fish, and eggs for a balanced diet increased by 122 liras compared to the previous month and by 2,278 liras annually, reaching 4,659 liras. The expenditure required for dried pulses rose by 12 liras compared to the previous month and by 134 liras compared to the same month last year, reaching 368 liras.

The expenditure required for milk, yogurt, and cheese, which decreased by 59 liras compared to the previous month to 3,666 liras, saw an increase of 994 liras over the last year. The money that needs to be spent on fruit increased by 519 liras in January and by 1,388 liras compared to the same month last year, reaching 2,108 liras. Vegetable expenditure rose by 208 liras compared to the previous month and by 1,222 liras compared to the same month last year, reaching 2,489 liras.

While the expenditure required for products such as bread, flour, and pasta increased by 114 liras in January to 1,523 liras, expenditures for rice and bulgur increased by 42 liras to 715 liras. The expenditure required for oil increased by 27 liras to 485 liras.

The expenditure required for food items such as sugar, honey, molasses, and jam increased by 2 liras in January compared to the previous month, reaching 1,074 liras. The expenditure the same family needs to make for olives decreased by 29 liras to 444 liras.

According to calculations 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 in January was 5,093 liras for an adult male, 3,998 liras for an adult female, 2,903 liras for a child, and 5,449 liras for a youth.

"WITHOUT FEELING DEPRIVATION"

According to the research, which also takes into account price changes in non-food requirements when determining the poverty threshold, the amount of expenditure required for a family of four to meet their non-food needs “without feeling a sense of deprivation” rose to 31,053 liras in January.

In January, while clothing and footwear expenditures for four people fell to 1,581 liras, housing (including rent) expenditures rose to 6,901 liras, household goods expenditures were 4,095 liras, and health expenditures were 1,316 liras. Transportation expenditures fell to 9,425 liras. Communication expenditures rose to 1,096 liras, entertainment and culture expenditures to 1,011 liras, education expenditures to 687 liras, holiday-hotel expenditures to 3,181 liras, and expenditures related to various goods and services rose to 1,762 liras.

POVERTY THRESHOLD OVER THE LAST YEAR

The poverty threshold, which shows the total amount of food and non-food expenditures a family of four must make to live in a way worthy of human dignity without feeling deprived, rose by 1,658 liras in January to 48,495 liras. The increase in the poverty threshold over the last year was 21,501 liras.