Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı stated that Atatürk Forest Farm (AOÇ), the women's cooperative and unions established with permission from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, delivers the products they produce to the end consumer without intermediaries, and in this way, it is aimed to support member farmers in socioeconomic terms.
According to the statement made by the Ministry, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı stated that Atatürk Forest Farm offers the products of women's cooperatives and producer unions to the end consumer without intermediaries, and said, "Since 2020, 32 million TL worth of products, 337 million TL worth of raw materials and agricultural products from women's cooperatives and producer unions." A total of 369 million TL worth of products were purchased.” he said.
Products such as corn flour, jam and spice types, pasta, molasses, tarhana, noodles, sourdough, flatbread, fruit pulp, fruit juices, olives, tomato paste, cheese, meat products, milk powder, butter, raw cow's milk from women's cooperatives and producer unions. Giving information that they were purchased by AOÇ, Yumaklı pointed out that the necessary food controls were carried out before these products were put on sale. Yumaklı explained that it is also registered whether the products comply with the packaging and labeling communiqué and underlined that the approved products are offered to consumers through AOÇ stores.
Stating that they started purchasing products from women's cooperatives and unions in 2020, Yumaklı said:
“We have been supporting women's cooperatives and producer unions operating in 2020 provinces since 26. As the Ministry, apart from marketing and sales to these producers; Training is also given on subjects such as packaging, labeling and hygiene, ensuring that they are more effective at the point of sales and marketing. We will always continue to support our women producers, cooperatives and unions. Since 2020, we have purchased a total of 32 million TL of products from our cooperatives and producer associations and introduced them to consumers in our stores without intermediaries. "We have paid up to 14 million TL so far for the products we purchased this year."
Apart from these, Minister Yumaklı emphasized that a total of 2020 million TL worth of raw materials and agricultural products were purchased by Atatürk Forest Farm in 60, 2021 million in 80, 2022 million in 87 and 2023 million TL in 110, and made the following evaluations:
“After these products were processed in AOÇ factories, they were put on the market, especially in AOÇ stores. In other words, the contribution we have provided to women's cooperatives and producer unions has reached 2020 million TL since 369. We are trying to raise this figure even higher. "We will continue to supply raw materials from producers, unions and cooperatives and purchase the products they produce at market value through our Atatürk Forest Farm, and provide market opportunities for the products of women's cooperatives and producer unions."