Poverty profile and the food demand by income groups in Turkey

In this study, an analysis of the food demand by income groups and poverty profile in Turkey was examined. Data used come from Household Consumption Expenditure in 1994. Linear Approximate Almost Ideal Demand System was applied an estimation of the food demand by income groups in Turkey. The results showed the food demands for high and highest income household to be responsive to prices, income and socio- demografic variables while the food demands for the low and lower income households were responsive to be especially income and prices only. The poverty line in Turkey was performed least cost food expenditure, basic needs costs, one half of the mean household income and one half of the median household income. The choice of poverty measure in this study has been Head Count Ratio, Poverty Gap Ratio, Sen Index and Foster, Greer and Thorbecke Index. The result showed the highest poverty ratio with 50.6 % was calculated for the Least Cost Food Expenditure and the smallest poverty ratio with 16.1% was calculated for the one half of median income in Turkey. However, in Turkey more household are expenditure poor than income poor. Also, poverty extends, poverty dept, poverty severity and poverty intensity in Turkey, especially in rural area was a great level. Key Words: Income Clases, LA/AIDS, Income Elasticity, Price Elasticity, Povert Line and Measurement II