THE GLOBAL WINDOW OF TURKISH FOOD AND AGRICULTURE The Global Window of Turkish Food and Agriculture Sector
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The population in rural areas is both declining and aging in Türkiye, creating risks to the country’s agricultural production.
The number of people living in towns and villages fell by more than 315,000 in 2024 from the previous year to 5.66 million, while the population in provinces and districts surged from 79.3 million to over 80 million, according to the latest data from the Turkish Statistical Institute, released last week.
Population in towns and villages declined by 750,000 people in the last 10 years.
The population, aged between 25 and 35, in villages dropped from 767,000 in 2014 to 644,000 in 2024.
Small family businesses, which are at the heart of crop and animal production, are disappearing due to the decreasing population and increasing age in villages.
The aging and declining farmer population is now seen as the biggest risk to the future of agricultural production.
According to Şemsi Bayraktar, Head of the Union of Turkish Agricultural Chambers (TZOB), the average age of male farmers in Türkiye is 57.7, the average age of female farmers is 60.1 and the average age of registered farmers is 58.1.
Some people who even make more money in their villages leave for cities to work for minimum wage just to get married, said Professor Dr. Süleyman Soylu, an academic from the Faculty of Agriculture at Selçuk University.
Soylu links this relocation to more education opportunities for children, and better health services in cities.
Small farm businesses are declining, while large producers are switching to mechanization, he said…
