Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Prof. Dr. Vahit Kirişci announced the roadmap in agriculture on many issues from the food problem in the world to the costs of the farmers and the access of citizens to cheap food: Urban agriculture will be supported for citizens' access to cheap food. Manure-fuel support will be provided to the farmer and feed support to the breeder in kind. The support given to the manufacturer will be in kind. The farmer will be given the fertilizer and diesel he needs, and when he sells the product after the harvest, the state will set off its receivables. The field of those who keep it vacant for 1 year will be leased to someone else through the state.
“TURKISH FARMERS SHOW A DIVERSE ATTITUDE”
Stating that the Turkish farmer showed a self-sacrificing attitude during the pandemic, Kirişci said: “He did not make excuses and went to his field. Although the population in many countries in Europe is not as large as ours, this has inevitably reflected on the market due to production and supply chain problems. Then came the Russia-Ukraine war. Despite this, do we say 'there is no this, there is no this' on the shelves in Turkey? We are not saying. With its 23.4 million hectares of cultivated agricultural land and increasing agricultural production, Turkey is in a position to meet the needs of both its 85 million citizens as well as refugees and incoming tourists. The wheat harvest has begun. We have more wheat than last year. The strategic product is flour, oil, sugar. As Turkey, there is more production than we need in other products except sunflower. We are at the level of 63 percent in sunflower. This year the rate will increase. We are taking additional measures to ensure that there are no problems in the future," he said.
“SUPPORT WILL BE SIMPLE”
Speaking about the existence of abandoned agricultural lands, Minister Kirişci said: “There were agricultural lands abandoned due to migration, inheritance, and indifference. We support the farmers to reintroduce them to agriculture. The producer goes and sows the seed, which is subsidized by 75 percent. We encourage the farmer to use certified seeds, sprinkler and drip irrigation. The General Directorate of Agricultural Reform provides various supports to farmers, including tools, equipment and solar power plants. As the executive, you absolutely have to keep the basic strategic products for your citizens. In plant production, flour, oil, sugar; In animal production, eggs, meat and milk are strategic products. The priority will be the production of these products. We will simplify the supports that reach 65”.
“CONTRACTUAL INSURANCE OBLIGATION”
Minister Kirisci; “There are some problems during contract production. There are some litigation issues at the point of observing the law of both the producer and the producer. If the situation and interests are not protected, we will impose sanctions. We will impose an insurance obligation. The insurance rate does not exceed 20%. The one who insures his vehicle does not insure his field. We will provide income guarantee. An insurance policy will be issued to cover the loss of income. We consider presenting the bill before the parliament closes. Insurance will be obligatory in livestock as well,” he added.
"SUCH SUCH EVENT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN IN SUGAR"
Underlining that Turkey does not need sugar, Kirişci said; "We got the import permit not because it was needed, but to keep the prices in place," he said. Production was made from sugar beet harvested in September 2021. There was no other sugar beet harvest in between. Since there is no product in between, why did the price increase? The market exploited the public stance. The public also did not show the action it should have taken on time. For example, we shouldn't have exported sugar. Turkey is not a country that will be revived with the export of these products. We have an export of 250 billion dollars, the share of agriculture in this is 25 billion dollars. Since my arrival, I have imposed bans on exports. We will think of the soul first and then the soul. I say this as a personal critique. He added that we will never experience such an event in the coming years.
“10 PERCENT OF LAND ASSETS STAY EMPTY UNPLANTED”
Minister Kirişci also talked about planned production: “When I took office, I appointed a general manager for the first business information technologies. Because there is a need for digitalization in agriculture. We are preparing an application. We haven't decided on the name, it may be e-farming. If you are a manufacturer, when you enter here, you will enter your name, surname, city, county, island and parcel. Let's say you have 120 decares of land registered in the Farmer Registration System. You will see the information about the ecological conditions and what you can grow there. He will guide you. If you must grow barley, the application will tell you 'Hurry up, others here want to produce'. If enough barley production records are entered in line with the country's needs, the application will direct you to the second line. He will tell you other product alternatives that you will produce in your field. Even if you did not enter your information here. Then you will not be able to benefit from the supports. We will say that if you are going to grow a product in your field, you will register”.
Saying that he registered but did not produce, Kitişci continued as follows:
“This will be seen in practice. If a field appears empty in the system for 1 year, the public authority will come and say, 'You do not grow anything here, we will pay rent for your field in this neighborhood and have production done'. The state will not lease, it will undertake. He will not have a role other than a mediator.
If he doesn't want to give up his land, we'll separate the right of use from the right of ownership. We met with the Minister of Justice Bekir Bozdag. It will be done without prejudice to the rights of neither the lessor nor the landlord. You are not taking away the property. You only get the right to use. This is also done in Organized Industrial Zones. There are 2.5-3 million hectares of uncultivated land. It corresponds to 10 percent of Turkey's land assets.
IN-KIND SUPPORT IN STEAD OF CASH
Saying that we will change the support model, Kirişci said: “We will switch to in-kind support, not cash. For example, you will grow barley. What is your expense? If any, field rent, seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, diesel, harvesting expenses, irrigation costs... You add up this cost, and the production amount of the product is also certain. Let's say the price of a kilo of barley will make you happy is 6.5 TL. If the buyer gave you 7 TL when you wanted to take the product to the market and sell it, you do not need to request support from the state. But if you wait for 6.5 TL and sell it for 6 TL, then what should we say as a ministry? 'O producer, don't worry, I'll pay you the difference of 50 cents.' We will also pay the difference," he said.
Minister Kirisci; “If our farmer says 'I will produce but I do not have the economic power to buy diesel-fertilizer', our farmer; We will tell you that the amount of production in your field is more or less certain. Do you need 2 thousand liters of diesel and 3 tons of fertilizer for this? I will give it to you in kind. After the harvest, you either sold it to the market or to TMO. If the manufacturer has sold the product to the state, we will set off the receivable. Thus, the producer will not be interested in the price of these inputs.”
“THE WAY OF CHEAP FOOD TO CITIZEN URBAN AGRICULTURE”
Saying that we are starting to implement urban agriculture, Kirişci continued his words as follows: “A kilo of tomato comes from Antalya to Istanbul by making a journey of 800 kilometers. It both loses its freshness and the transportation cost gets on top of the price. It also gives 25% fire on the road. This is also reflected in the price. Moreover, exhaust emissions pollute the air. However, there are Çengelköy, Şile, Çatalca, Beykoz and Silivri around Istanbul. There are untouched areas here. There is also the manufacturer. Our brother, who grows tomatoes in Çatalca, can directly distribute the product to restaurants and homes. In this way, the citizen will eat both fresh and low-cost products. You will eliminate the factors that cause climate change and you will prevent the migration from the village to the city.
urban agriculture; Around cities such as Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir; We will apply it in places with production capability such as Erzurum-Erzincan and where there is a geothermal resource. You produce 365 days in a place with a harsh climate. In hot places, you use solar energy to cool the greenhouse. If our salvation is in agriculture, the salvation of agriculture is in the countryside… In 2023, we will be a country that knows what it produces and how it is produced, and has set its own priorities.”
FEED PROBLEM SOLVED
Minister Kirişci, who also gave information about sacrifice due to the approaching Eid al-Adha, said: “We do not have a problem with sacrifice, neither in terms of numbers nor assets. The most important input in animal production is feed. Almost 65-70 percent of the cost... In this regard, we will say to the producer, 'don't worry about the feed, buy and use it, produce your meat and milk, we will settle when we sell them', just like in herbal production. In other words, we will give the feed to the producer as in-kind support,” he said.
NUMBER OF FIRE AIRCRAFT INCREASED TO 20
Minister Kirişci also evaluated the preparedness for possible forest fires due to the fact that we are in the summer: “The main force in forest fires is the ground forces... Our forest organization has 183 years of experience. We have no shortage of ground tools. Our number of UAVs was 4, we increased it to eight. UAVs collect data before a fire breaks out. We increased the number of helicopters from 39 to 55, and the number of aircraft from three to 20. The inventories of the Ministries of Interior and National Defense are not included in this. Therefore, our power has increased both on land and in the air.”
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