TÜRK-İŞ announced the hunger limit for April

According to TÜRK-İŞ data for April, the hunger threshold, which covers the monthly food expenses of a family of four, exceeded 10 thousand TL, while the poverty threshold, which covers all expenses such as rent, bills, education, clothing and transportation, rose to 33 thousand TL. The Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (TÜRK-İŞ) announced the hunger and poverty threshold data for April 2023. According to the data, the hunger threshold, which covers the monthly food expenses of a family of four, was 9 thousand 590 TL in March, while it increased to 10 thousand 135.50 TL in April. The poverty threshold, which covers all expenses such as rent, bills, education, clothing and transportation, was 31 thousand 240 TL in March, while it increased to 33 thousand TL in April. The total monthly living cost of a single worker reached 13 thousand 165 TL in April. According to TÜRK-İŞ's data; The minimum expenditure that a family of four living in Ankara must make on food alone increased by 5.67 percent compared to the previous month. While the four-month change rate was 24.65 percent, the change rate for the last 12 months stood out as 90.38 percent. The change rate according to 12-month averages was calculated as 115.74 percent. High price increases were experienced in the group including meat, chicken, fish, eggs, legumes, and oilseed products. On average, fish broke a record by exceeding 140 TL, beef 300 TL, and lamb 350 TL for the first time, while eggs reached 3.5 TL per piece. The prices of fish, lamb, beef, chicken, and eggs increased by 9 percent, 21 percent, 25 percent, 11 percent, and 3 percent respectively in one month. 15-20 percent monthly increase in vegetables and fruits A limited increase was observed in the prices of rice and flour in one month. Bulgur increased by 4 percent, and pasta by 5 percent. The price of semolina fell by 4 percent. After Ramadan, the price of bread in Ankara did not change this month. In the fresh fruit and vegetable group, the prices of salad greens such as green onions and lettuce and green leafy vegetables such as leeks and cabbage increased by 20 percent and 15 percent in neighborhood markets, respectively. 50 TL increase in red meat in the last month In the written statement, it was stated that the purchasing power of wage earners was eroded due to inflation and that, “Due to wage incomes that are insufficient to meet mandatory expenses, the cost of living does not leave low-income earners alone.” Stating that food inflation has been high for more than 1.5 years, the statement included the following statements: “This situation reduces the purchasing power of fixed-income earners, let alone taking a share from the growth despite the increases made to wages and salaries. Accordingly, for example, it is not possible for low-income citizens to consume red meat, which increased by an average of 50 TL in the last month and 150 percent in the last year. Not only animal products, but also the prices of onions and potatoes, which are the most consumed foods in the kitchen, have doubled in the last year. Moreover, although food prices in the world have been falling by 20 percent every month for a year, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)… The main problem today is the financial difficulty. Citizens who have to survive by buying food by the kilogram, gram and piece have become unable to cut back on their basic consumption.”