Türk-İş: Starvation, poverty lines slightly drop in July

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The Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (Türk-İş) has released the July report of the "Starvation and Poverty Line Survey," which it conducts every month to reveal the living conditions of employees and effects of price changes to families' budgets.

For a family of four, the "starvation line," which is defined as the minimum food expenditure for a healthy, sufficient and balanced diet, was 2,406 lira (350 USD) in July, the report said.

The poverty line, which is the total amount of necessary expenditures such as housing, transportation, education and health, was 7,838 lira (1,142 USD).

In the previous month, the starvation line was 2,431 lira and the poverty line was 7,918 lira.

The monthly "living cost" of a single working person was 2,929 lira (425 USD).

"The living conditions of the low and fixed income groups, especially wage workers, do not improve due to the insufficient income and the minimum amount to be paid for basic needs. On the one hand, insufficient income, on the other hand, unemployment, exert heavy pressure on employees," the Türk-İş stated.

The minimum expenditure of a family of four living in the capital Ankara for food has decreased by 1.01 percent compared to the previous month. As of the first seven months of the year, the increase in prices was 11.27 percent.

Food inflation rate determined as 15.96 percent in the last 12 months. The annual average increase rate was 12.47 percent.

The daily food expenditure of a family of four decreased by 80 kurus (12 cents) because of the decrease in the price of fruits and vegetables caused by seasonal conditions.

The average kilogram price of vegetables and fruits was calculated as 8.45 lira last month, while it was 7.23 lira this month. The average price of fruit dropped to 8.04 lira this month from 10.73 lira last month.

No significant price change was detected in the milk, yogurt and cheese group. The price of chicken did not change but the price of eggs increased. An increase was found in the price of legumes and red beans.

No significant price change was detected in the group with products such as bread, rice, flour, pasta and semolina.

While the price of butter, olive oil and sunflower oil among the foodstuffs in the last group did not change, the price of margarine increased. The price of black and green olives dropped slightly. (HA/VK)