Turkiye

The organized industry zone to be established in Edirne is aimed to be the ‘food production base’ of the region

120 businesses in the food industry will start manufacturing in the Organized Indusrial Zone (OIZ) planned to be established in the area between Edirne’s Kesan and Uzunkopru districts. Following the approval of the relevant ministries, work will be started for the OIZ to be operational in 2023.

Fatma Aksal, Chairman of the TGNA Equal Opportunities Committee for Women and Men (KEFEK), and AK Party Deputy of Edirne stated that Turkey is ranked 26th in food production and 7th in the agricultural production in the world. Pointing out that when Edirne is mentioned, fertile lands come to mind, Aksal said:

‘’ We have big markets such as Europe and Istanbul. We need to market it by adding added value to what you produce in the region. It is more important how much added value you add to the production than how much you produce. The best example of this is the Netherlands, this country sells more than it’s production capacity. Selling wheat is one thing, selling wheat as flour and pasta is another. In this sense, the OIZ will create serious employment in the region. Its beyond will contribute to Turkey’s economy. Agricultural products produced in the region will be processed and turned into food and sent to both Europe and our domestic markets such as Istanbul. ‘’

‘’ There are businesses applying even from Gaziantep. ‘’

Aksal reminded that the district of Kesan is also very close to the Canakkale Bridge, an important transit route that is planned to open on March 18, 2022. Emphasizing that the region has fertile plains and a logistical advantage, Aksal continued as follows:

‘’ Kesan will be the only food specialty OIZ in Thrace. We thank our Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Mr. Bekir Pakdemirli. He followed these processes very quickly and we started working. Here, our municipality, our NGOs and our Governorship, everyone has joined together. Kesan OIZ displayed an incredible example of solidarity. After all, success came. All transactions and EIA reports have been completed, and an enterprising committee has also been established. The procedures in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization have been completed, we now will have the procedures from the Ministry of Industry and Technology. The parcelization and infrastructure of this place is now being created. There is a very serious demand for OIZ, there are businesses applying even from Gaziantep. If you export to Europe, this place has a logistical advantage. I think it will contribute very seriously to the region.’’

Fatma Aksal noted that the Kesan OIZ, which will create employment for thousands of people, is planned to be operational in 2023.

Kesan OIZ will provide employment to approximately 5 thousand people

Kesan Mayor Mustafa Helvacioglu stated that a maximum of 120 workplaces will operate in the food specialized OIZ and that approximately 5 thousand people will be employed. Emphasizing how important food was during the epidemic period, Helvacioglu said:

‘’ Our predictions for Southern Edirne to become an agriculture, trade and food production area work one by one. Kesan OIZ will be the capital of production and trade in Thrace. The economy of our city will be revived, our citizens will profit.

OIZs will start production soon and contribute to employment. We would like to thank our President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, our Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bekir Pakdemirli, the architect of Kesan OIZ and AK Party Edirne Deputy Fatma Aksal, our Edirne Governor Ekrem Canalp, our provincial and district presidencies, and our chamber and NGO representatives. ‘’

source: AA / translated by Melisa Karayusufoglu

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