08.06.2026 20:10
In Turkey, livestock breeders facing major problems due to local shepherds' salary demands reaching 180 thousand lira per month and the ongoing labor crisis have found a solution in importing shepherds. In this context, Aksaray's first imported shepherd arrived from Afghanistan and started work.
The solution to one of the most chronic problems of the livestock sector in Turkey, the 'inability to find a shepherd' crisis, was found abroad. The government came to the rescue of livestock breeders who were struggling due to local shepherds demanding monthly salaries of up to 180 thousand lira and a labor shortage. Within the scope of a new initiative launched in Aksaray, the official and contractual import of shepherds from abroad has officially begun.
A FIRST IN AKSARAY: AFGHAN SHEPHERD STARTS WORK
In the village of Sofular in the Ağaçören district of Aksaray, the first Uzbek-origin Afghan shepherd, Obaıdullah Akbarı (28), brought to Turkey through official channels, started work. Mahmut Aktürk, President of the Breeding Sheep and Goat Breeders Association (DKKYB), stated that they solved this major problem with the contributions of the government and the ministry, saying, 'We have started bringing our kin from Afghanistan and Uzbekistan to Turkey through official channels.'
MINIMUM WAGE, INSURED SOLUTION AGAINST DEMAND FOR 180 THOUSAND TL SALARY
Emphasizing that shepherd prices have reached astronomical levels, Association President Aktürk stated that local shepherds demand salaries between 100 thousand and 180 thousand TL. Aktürk noted that shepherds imported under the new system will work in full compliance with legal regulations and provided the following information:
'Our brother coming will work with an official contract. He will receive minimum wage, have insurance and taxes. His salary will be regularly deposited into the bank. In other words, he will have all the rights of a normal worker in Turkey. In this way, we both prevent exorbitant prices and meet the shepherd needs of businesses.'
LIVESTOCK BREEDERS BREATHE A SIGH OF RELIEF: 'THIS INITIATIVE IS GROUNDBREAKING'
İshak Özdemir, the livestock breeder who employed the first imported shepherd in Aksaray, described the initiative as 'a groundbreaking development.' Özdemir, stating that young people in villages no longer engage in livestock farming and that they have come to the point of halting production due to the lack of shepherds, said, 'Without shepherds, livestock farming is impossible. Thanks to this step, we can now see our future. We thank our President and our Minister of Agriculture.'
ENTRUSTED WITH 1100 SMALL RUMINANTS: 'MANY PEOPLE WANT TO COME'
Obaıdullah Akbarı, a 28-year-old Afghan shepherd, married and father of 3 children, will be responsible for the care and grazing of exactly 1100 small ruminants at the facility in Sofular village. Akbarı, expressing great happiness to work legally in Turkey, signaled that the initiative will grow even more in the coming period, saying, 'I am very happy to be here. In my homeland, there are many more people who want to come to Turkey and work this way.'