, as millions in the country struggle to get by on a minimum wage of 17,002 lira ($522), according to the Public Service Employees Union (Birleşik KAMU-İŞ), the Cumhuriyet daily reported on Saturday.){kind=link}
Turkey’s poverty line has risen to 58,200 lira ($1,790), as millions in the country struggle to get by on a minimum wage of 17,002 lira ($522), according to the Public Service Employees Union (Birleşik KAMU-İŞ), the Cumhuriyet daily reported on Saturday.
The poverty line, which refers to the total amount a family of four needs to live without feeling deprived of food and other expenses such as rent and utilities, has increased by $214 over the past year. Meanwhile, the hunger line, the amount a family of four has to spend on basic food expenses, has risen by $13 compared to a year ago, according to the union.
Birleşik KAMU-İŞ’s research unit, KAMU-AR, calculates the poverty line by considering the expenditures needed for a family of four to adequately sustain their nutritional needs, along with rent and utilities, all while maintaining their dignity and avoiding a sense of deprivation.
Price hikes have accelerated across sectors, including food, transportation and housing, following the May 2023 elections, contributing to the growing risk of hunger and poverty in Turkey.
Data collected from major supermarkets in Ankara showed that the monthly expenses necessary for a balanced diet including meat, fish and eggs increased by 257 lira ($8) compared to the previous month, reaching 5,997 lira ($184).
In April expenditures for clothing and shoes reached 1,707 lira ($53); housing costs, including rent and utilities, were 8,756 lira ($269); expenses for household items were 4,906 lira ($150); and healthcare costs amounted to 1,629 lira ($50). Various other goods and services expenses were detailed as well.
Inflation has become a pressing issue in Turkey, reaching an annual rate of 68.5 percent in March, according to official data.
Turkey’s food inflation in February was 71.1 percent, a figure more than 13 times higher than the average of 38 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, according to statistics released by the OECD for January and February.
Turkey had the highest food inflation rate by a significant margin among the OECD countries in February, followed by Iceland (7.5 percent), Korea (6.9 percent) and Greece (6.7 percent).
Global food prices, which surged due to the pandemic, Russia’s war on Ukraine, rising energy prices and the climate crisis, have been in decline, while food prices in Turkey have continued to rise.
The OECD data also showed Turkey’s food inflation rate has increased by 18.6 percent since May 2023.
Over the past several years Turkey has been suffering from a deteriorating economy, with high inflation and unemployment, as well as a poor human rights record. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is criticized for mishandling the economy, emptying the state’s coffers and establishing one-man rule in the country where dissent is suppressed and opponents are jailed on politically motivated charges.