HÜDA PAR Deputy Chairman and Mersin MP Faruk Dinç has called for urgent government intervention to support farmers reeling from one of the most destructive frost events in Türkiye’s history.

Addressing the General Assembly of the Grand National Assembly, Dinç described the April 10–12 cold snap — which hit 36 provinces — as a national agricultural crisis demanding immediate action.

The frost, which the Minister of Agriculture has labeled among the worst ever recorded, caused severe damage to fruit orchards across the country. Apricot, apple, almond, and walnut crops were especially hard hit, with Malatya — the heartland of Türkiye’s apricot production — suffering near-total losses.

“Türkiye’s apricot industry, which generates around $500 million annually, has been nearly wiped out this year,” Dinç said, warning of the economic fallout if swift relief is not delivered.

The disaster follows earlier frost damage in February in Dinç’s home province of Mersin and compounds the hardship in southeastern provinces still recovering from the 2023 earthquakes, including Malatya, Kahramanmaraş, Elazığ, and Adıyaman.

Dinç urged the government to declare the affected regions as disaster zones and implement a series of emergency relief measures. These include the postponement of agricultural debts, the rollout of increased financial assistance, and comprehensive support programs to sustain the sector.

“Our farmers cannot be expected to shoulder both the scars of natural disasters and the burden of debt,” Dinç stated. “Supporting agriculture is not just about helping farmers — it’s about preserving the foundation of our economy. If the farmer collapses, the country collapses.”

He also warned that inaction could fuel further inflation and destabilize food security across Türkiye, calling on Parliament to act with urgency and foresight.

Dinç concluded by reaffirming HÜDA PAR’s commitment to standing with Türkiye’s farmers and pressing for structural reforms that protect and prioritize the agricultural sector. (ILKHA)