Turkey’s food prices rise 1.07% in August as annual inflation reaches 30.9%

Food prices advance in August

Food prices in Turkey increased 1.07% in August 2026, according to the Food Price Index published by the Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey, known as TEPAV. The index was compiled from data collected between August 1 and 25. The increase placed annual food inflation at 30.9%, showing that businesses and consumers continued to face broad price pressure even though movements differed substantially among individual products.

Haber3, reporting the TEPAV results, said the August basket contained notable declines as well as increases. The monthly headline figure therefore does not indicate that every category moved in the same direction. The product rankings point instead to a market divided between seasonally sensitive fresh produce, higher-priced seafood and staple foods, and selected dairy and dry-grocery items that became cheaper.

Fresh produce prices move in opposite directions

Among fresh fruit and vegetables, apples, cultivated mushrooms and cucumbers recorded the largest price increases, according to TEPAV data cited by Haber3. Fresh beans, lemons and melons were the products with the largest declines in the same category. The contrasting movements underline the influence of seasonal supply on wholesale purchasing and retail pricing during August.

For growers and fresh-produce traders, this divergence matters more than the 1.07% aggregate increase alone. Suppliers handling apples, cultivated mushrooms and cucumbers encountered a rising-price market, while businesses exposed to fresh beans, lemons and melons faced falling quotations. Retailers and food-service operators therefore experienced different cost trends depending on the composition of their purchasing baskets.

The source did not provide individual percentage changes or absolute prices for these products. It is consequently not possible to determine from the published ranking how much each item contributed to the overall index. The data nevertheless identify where price pressure was concentrated and where seasonal availability offered some relief.

Bonito, eggs and tea lead other increases

Outside the fresh fruit and vegetable category, domestic bonito, eggs and tea posted the strongest price increases in August. This placed seafood and widely consumed staple products among the principal sources of upward pressure. Fish sellers, egg suppliers, beverage businesses and food-service companies using these products may therefore have faced greater replacement costs during the index period.

Prices declined for lentils, cream, kaymak and similar dairy products, as well as packaged sugar. These reductions offered a partial offset for processors, retailers and catering businesses purchasing those goods. The mixed performance within basic foods also indicates that the annual inflation rate of 30.9% cannot be applied uniformly to individual supply chains or commercial contracts.

Annual inflation remains the central business risk

The 30.9% annual reading remains the more significant measure for food companies planning inventories, negotiating supplier terms and setting retail prices. A 1.07% monthly increase may appear moderate compared with the annual figure, but it still means that the average food basket became more expensive during the first 25 days of August.

For producers and processors, the product-level results create different pricing conditions. Companies buying eggs, tea or bonito must manage rising input costs, while users of lentils, cream or packaged sugar may obtain limited short-term relief. Fresh-produce operators remain particularly exposed to seasonal changes, as the simultaneous rise in apples and decline in melons demonstrates. With no product-level percentages disclosed in the report cited by Haber3, market participants will need current supplier quotations to assess the impact on margins and final prices.