Diesel tax hike of 10.80 TL in November: Triple excise blow to farmers during harvest season

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 by 10 lira 80 kuruş in a single move at the start of November. According to data, the tax schedule coincides precisely with the period when farmers operate their tractors most intensively in the fields.

September through November encompasses the transport of wheat and barley harvests, corn, sunflower, sugar beet, and cotton harvesting, as well as vegetable and fruit harvest operations and post-harvest soil tilling. Farmers use their tractors almost continuously during this period.

Farmers have already endured a difficult year, and with US-Iran tensions tightening global oil markets, diesel reached 78 lira per liter in April; prices 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 effect of this reduction.

In the comparable period last year, diesel prices were relatively stable; this year's incremental increase means farmers will be forced to absorb unpredictable additional costs for every fuel tank during harvest season. Organized representatives of the agricultural sector have not yet released official figures; the tax decision has, however, reignited public criticism that the government is 'dismissing' farmers.