UN Says February Earthquake Hurt 20% Of Turkey's Food Output

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 31st March, 2023) The massive earthquake that jolted Turkey in February has affected 20% of the country's food production, with initial estimates suggesting billions of Dollars worth of damage and losses, the UN food agency said Friday.

"The earthquake severely impacted 11 key agricultural provinces affecting 15.73 million people and more than 20 percent of the country's food production," the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said in a statement.

The 7.8-magnitude quake struck Turkey's southern region, known as its "fertile crescent," which accounts for nearly 15% of the country's food output and almost 20% of its agri-food exports.

More than 50,000 people lost their lives.

FAO estimated resulting damage to food infrastructure, livestock and crops at $1.3 billion. The agricultural sector sustained another $5.1 billion in quake-associated losses stemming from higher food prices. It said Turkey urgently needed $112 million to deliver short- and long-term aid to affected rural communities.