The farm-to-shelf era is beginning! The market law is coming to an end: Prison sentence for exorbitant commissions

Turkey’s Treasury and Finance, Trade, Agriculture and Forestry, and Labor and Social Security ministries have drafted a nine-article bill to overhaul the country’s wholesale market (hal) system, aiming to lower fruit and vegetable prices by moving produce more directly “from field to shelf.” The draft targets excessive commissions charged by middlemen, introducing prison sentences for overcharging, though the article does not specify the penalty thresholds. The legislation is intended to cut layers between farmers and consumers and address long-standing complaints that intermediary fees inflate retail produce costs. The bill’s details remain limited in the excerpt, and it must still pass through Turkey’s parliament before taking effect. Watch for the final penalty levels, the scope of commission caps, and whether the measure advances to a parliamentary vote.