In Tunceli, small livestock producers have difficulty finding shepherds to employ, even though their monthly wages are up to 150 thousand liras.
Shepherd wages, which rose to 130 thousand liras in the same period last year, vary between 100 and 150 thousand liras this year.
Despite the high wages, there are no personnel to care for, feed and milk the animals, especially in the plateaus.
Producers are trying to fill the workforce gap with foreign shepherds.
However, the problem is compounded by the fact that Afghan shepherds, whose food, cigarette and shelter needs are met in addition to their wages, quit after working for a while.
Producers who take care of the animals themselves when they cannot find a shepherd state that their earnings are insufficient to cover their expenses due to increasing labor, feed and medicine costs.
Producer Mehmet Demir, who came from Pertek to Ferhat Çayırı Plateau in Pülümür, stated that he has been dealing with animal husbandry for years and that they have serious difficulties in finding shepherds. Demir said, "I have been dealing with animal husbandry for as long as I can remember. We employ 2 shepherds annually for 12 months. It is difficult to find shepherds in our country. Normally, we employ Afghans. It is also difficult to employ them, they come and run away, they do not keep their promises. We pay 100 to 150 thousand lira per month. They do not like this either. Their cigarettes, bread, bed, everything belongs to us. Still, they do not like it, they run away. So, there is a lot of shepherd problem. We hope that our state will find a solution to this problem." spoke.
Producer Önder Erdoğan stated that sheep farming is a profession that has been passed down from generation to generation for them and said, "We have been in this business since my childhood. We have a profession passed down from our ancestors. We continue with that profession. The shepherd problem is big, their salaries are high. That is why our income does not cover what is spent. Many of the shepherd's expenses, such as food and drink, are on us. On top of that, we pay a salary. Milking shepherds' salary varies between 100 and 150 thousand liras. At this price "We can't even find a shepherd, that's why we have a big shepherd problem," he said.
Zeynel Erdoğan, President of Tunceli Breeding Sheep and Goat Breeders Association, said, "One of the biggest problems of animal husbandry in our country is the costs of shepherds, feed and medicine. Currently, we pay shepherds a minimum salary of 120 thousand liras and a maximum of 145 thousand liras. We have so many producers that they hire 4 shepherds. Therefore, if things continue like this and the shepherd problem is not really formalized, this will end in more than ten years due to shepherding and feed and medicine costs." "There will be a serious decrease in our numbers," he said.
