05.09.2026 11:21
In Tunceli, shepherd wages, which rose to 130 thousand liras last year, have reached 150 thousand liras this year, but producers still cannot find the shepherds they are looking for.
The shepherd shortage threatening the sustainability of livestock farming in Tunceli continues this year as well.
Last year, despite shepherd wages rising to around 130,000 lira during the same period, producers struggled to find staff. This year, even with wages ranging between 100,000 and 150,000 lira per month, they cannot find the shepherds they are looking for. Producers, especially those experiencing a shortage of shepherds to handle the care, feeding, and milking of animals in highland pastures, are trying to fill the labor gap with foreign shepherds. However, Afghan shepherds, who are provided with high wages as well as meals, cigarettes, and accommodation, eventually leave the job, worsening the problems faced by producers. Producers who have to take on the care of their animals themselves because they cannot find shepherds state that their income does not cover their expenses due to rising labor, feed, and medicine costs.
"THEY DON'T EVEN LIKE 150,000 LIRA"
Producer Mehmet Demir, who came to Ferhat Çayırı Plateau in Pülümür from Pertek, stated that he has been involved in animal husbandry for years and that they have serious difficulties finding shepherds. Demir said, "As long as I can remember, I have been dealing with animal husbandry. We employ 2 shepherds annually for 12 months. It is hard to find shepherds in our country. Normally, we employ Afghans. Employing them is also difficult; they come and run away, they don't keep their word. We pay between 100,000 and 150,000 lira per month. They don't even like this. Their cigarettes, bread, bed, everything belongs to us. Still, they are not satisfied and they run away. So, the shepherd shortage is huge. We hope our state will find a solution to this problem."
"DESPITE THIS PRICE, WE CAN'T EVEN FIND A SHEPHERD"
Producer Önder Erdoğan also stated that livestock farming is a profession passed down from generation to generation for them, saying, "We have been in this business since childhood. We have a profession inherited from our ancestors. We continue that profession. The shepherd shortage is big, the wages are high. Therefore, our income does not cover our expenses. Currently, many expenses of the shepherd, such as food and drink, belong to us. On top of that, we pay a salary. Milking shepherds' wages vary between 100,000 and 150,000 lira. Despite this price, we can't even find a shepherd. That's why our shepherd problem is huge."
"THERE WILL BE A DECREASE IN OUR ANIMAL NUMBERS"
Zeynel Erdoğan, President of the Tunceli Sheep and Goat Breeders' Association, said, "One of the biggest problems in animal husbandry for us is the cost of shepherds, feed, and medicine. Currently, we pay shepherds a minimum salary of 120,000 lira and a maximum of 145,000 lira. We have producers who hire up to 4 shepherds. Therefore, if things continue like this and the shepherd problem is not truly addressed officially, due to shepherding and the costs of feed and medicine, there will be a serious decrease in our animal numbers within ten years."