Diesel tax surges 10.80 TL in November: Triple excise blow to farmers during harvest

By presidential decree, diesel will face excise tax increases of 3 lira in September, 6 lira in October, and 9 lira in November; combined with VAT, the per-liter price will jump 10 lira 80 kuruş in a single increase at the start of November. According to data, the tax schedule coincides with the period when farmers operate their tractors most intensively in the field.

September through November encompass the transport of wheat and barley harvests, corn, sunflower, sugar beet, and cotton harvesting, as well as vegetable and fruit collection and post-harvest soil tilling. During this period, farmers run their tractors with barely any downtime.

Farmers have already endured a grueling year. With U.S.-Iran tensions tightening global oil markets, diesel reached 78 lira per liter in April; the price climbed again to 78 lira in July and 82 lira in August. On August 13, the government temporarily zeroed the excise tax at 7.75 lira, but a price increase announced the same day completely eliminated the impact of that reduction.

In the comparable period last year, diesel prices were relatively stable; this year's staged increases mean farmers will have to absorb unpredictable additional costs per fuel fill-up during harvest. Official figures have not yet been announced by organized representatives of the agricultural sector; the tax decision has reignited public criticism that the government is 'disregarding' farmers.