Turkey’s poverty, hunger limits are on the rise in April


Turkey's poverty threshold, the monthly food expenditure for a family of four to get sufficient nutrition, has increased by 14.25 percent in April 2015. The poverty threshold is now 1,344 Turkish liras ($496) according to the regular research of the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (Türk-İş).Türk-İş released its April results of "hunger and poverty limits" research on Monday, which was conducted to reveal the living conditions of the labor class and to reflect the price changes in basic consumption goods. Türk-İş pointed out the deteriorating living conditions of the labor class and people with low income.Food expenditures has increased by 2.49 percent in April, according to the research of Türk-İş.The poverty threshold increased by 166 TL and 14.25 percent compared to same month of the previous year, while it increased by 32 TL and 101 TL on a monthly basis and since January respectively.The limit of poverty, which consists of compulsory expenditures such as clothing, rent, electricity, water and heating, has increased to 4,344 TL ($1,605) per month, when added to food expenditure.The change in the limit of poverty was 105 TL, 329 TL and 542 TL on monthly, four-month and annual basis respectively.