Semsi Bayraktar, Chairman of the Union of Chambers of Agriculture of Turkiye (TZOB), said, “We are in the top 4 in the production of 19 agricultural products in the world. Our country ranks first in the world in many agricultural products, especially vegetables and fruits.”
Semsi Bayraktar, Chairman of the Union of Chambers of Agriculture of Turkiye (TZOB), in his statement on the occasion of “Attitude, Investment and Turkish Goods Week”, stated that in the past years, the importance of producing, consuming what is produced in Turkiye and introducing what you produce to the whole world was emphasized more during the domestic goods week.
Pointing out that countries practice food nationalism, Bayraktar said, “While the strategic importance of food and agricultural products increases all over the world, access to food is becoming more difficult day by day. The United Nations announced that approximately 783 million people in the world will struggle with hunger in 2022. It is estimated that grain prices are likely to increase by up to 29% in 2050 due to climate change caused by global warming, and in this case, millions more people around the world will face the risk of hunger.”
Stating that in addition to the reality of ineradicable hunger, we are also faced with food losses and waste, Bayraktar said that 1 billion tons of food, which corresponds to approximately 17% of the food offered to consumers worldwide, is thrown away.
“Turkiye ranks first in many agricultural products”
Bayraktar shared the following information about Turkiye’s position in global agricultural production:
“We are in the top 4 in the production of 19 agricultural products in the world. Our country ranks first in the world in many agricultural products, especially vegetables and fruits, and stands out with its product diversity. Turkiye ranks first in the world in hazelnut, cherry, fig, apricot and quince production; second in the world in the production of apples, pistachios, watermelons, melons, cucumbers and carob; ranks third in the world in tangerine, strawberry, pear and sour cherry production. Turkiye is in the top 10 in world production for many other products. We are the world leader in the export of hazelnuts, dried apricots, dried figs and chickpeas.”
15 agricultural products received EU geographical indication registration
Bayraktar stated that as of 2023, there will be a total of 452 geographically indicated agricultural products in the categories of honey, meat and dairy products, fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, cheese, tobacco, and fats and oils including butter. He stated that 15 of these products have received geographical indication registration in the European Union (EU).
Bayraktar underlined that $20.4 billion of agricultural and food imports were realized in the first 10 months of this year, and pointed out the importance of increasing domestic production by increasing support and incentives for products with production deficit.
Emphasizing that children should be taught the importance of consuming local products in schools and the awareness of being frugal and thrifty should be instilled, Bayraktar said:
“In order to increase the interest in imported products for our domestic products, information and promotional activities should be carried out and the visibility of domestic goods should be increased. As a country, we must act with a national consciousness. With this consciousness, the more our citizens use domestic products, our production increases with demand and the need for imported products decreases.”
Source: Trthaber / Prepared by Irem Yildiz