The road to the June 24 elections is witnessing a tight race of promises by Turkey's political parties, particularly in economic pledges. In that special chapter on economy, parties are giving agricultural policies on crop prices and diesel discounts an exclusive place in their election campaigns. Their main arguments have been observed in election declarations to feature an agriculture policy devised to ensure self-sufficiency and boost exports.

The Justice and Development Party (AK Party) predicts that in 2023 agricultural gross domestic product (GDP) will reach $150 billion, while agricultural exports will reach $40 billion.

The Republican People's Party (CHP) recommends stopping the privatization process of agricultural State Economic Enterprises (SEEs) and switching to exports in agriculture, while the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) focuses on the integration of agriculture and industry, and exports in agriculture. The Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), on the other hand, emphasizes that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) will be banned, pointing to self-sufficiency in agriculture.

AK Party aims to reach $40 billion in exports

In its election declaration, the AK Party stated that the net exporter position in agricultural products will be improved, while pointing to self-sufficiency in animal husbandry. It added that productivity and competitiveness will be raised to higher levels in vegetable production. The AK Party's election declaration indicates that a total of 8.5 million hectares will be achieved in land consolidation.

With regard to the agricultural sector, the declaration reads that agricultural supports will be announced for a minimum of three years, and that a "Co-production Model" will be implemented in 81 provinces and 250 villages.

Accordingly, through the company established by the General Directorate of Agricultural Enterprises (TİGEM) and the Sudanese government, 780,000 hectares of agricultural land leased in Sudan will be opened for investment to Turkish entrepreneurs. The AK Party also stresses that by increasing the number of animals, self-sufficiency will be achieved in red meat, adding that specialized organized industrial zones based on agriculture will be realized, while small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will be supported for branding in food production.

CHP suggests increase in agricultural support

Meanwhile, the CHP pledges in its election declaration that Turkey will become an exporter in agriculture rather than an importer. The party said agricultural support will be increased to 2 percent of the GDP, and the value of agricultural inputs will be reduced.

It also points out that the interests of farmers' agricultural loans will be erased, and that a producer registration system will be established to record all agricultural and animal production. The CHP's declaration says agricultural support will be announced one year earlier. The privatization process of all agricultural SEEs will be stopped, and the privatization of sugar factories will be canceled, according to the declaration. Biofuels will be exempt from excise duty and value-added tax (VAT) and with the Land Acquisition Office, land consolidation activities will be completed within five years.

The CHP also says a hazelnut stock market will be established in the Black Sea region, and tea tariffs will remain, while SMEs will be expanded to increase their animal presence.

MHP focuses on agricultural exports

Mainly focusing on agricultural exports in its election declaration, the MHP highlights that agricultural cities should be established for the integration of agriculture and industry and that external dependence should be prevented in seeds, seedlings and saplings. Quality control should be monitored in agricultural products and exports should focus on agricultural production, the MHP's declaration reads, adding that the agricultural sector must be raised to a level that can feed the people of the country with high export capacity.

It also states that the quality control for cereals, tobacco, meat, sugar and milk must be higher; food safety must be brought up to contemporary norms; and that higher yield and quality seeds, seedlings and saplings should be supported to end external dependence. The MHP suggests that agricultural producers should be able to access the market easily and that by facilitating future exchanges, product exchanges should be developed, and licensed warehouse usage should be widespread. It also stresses that special support programs and a price guarantee system should be introduced for products with strategic importance, such as wheat, corn, cotton, soybean, sunflower, hazelnuts, grapes, figs, apricots, olives, peanuts and energy plants.

Genetically-modified products on HDP'S focus

The HDP pledges in its election declaration that the country will be an exporter by ensuring self-sufficiency in agriculture. It underlines that all agricultural workers will be covered by labor laws and social security and that small farmers will be provided free water and electricity.

GMOs will be banned in agriculture, and the domestic production of meat and meat products will be increased rather than imported, while villages will be revived and developed into production centers.

The HDP's declaration also states that the law on cooperatives will be rearranged in a way to support subsistence agriculture and that small farmers will be exempt from taxes on the diesel and fertilizer they use in production inputs. It also pledges that the agricultural lands will be protected, sheltered from misused and remain unpolluted, while mined terrains will be cleaned and opened for subsistence farming.