Agricultural news #5
Our latest agricultural news on several topics; sugar beet and sugar production, aromatics plants Valley/Sanliurfa, use of pesticides and news on Turkey's agricultural credit agency.
Turkish Minister pakdemirli: ''sugar beet and sugar production hit the record high of all time,"
“While it was only 1.6 million tones in 2002, the sugar production increased by 94% and reached a level of around 3.1 million tones during the marketing period of 2020-2021.” .
Stating that the sugar production increased by 94 percent during the marketing period of 2020-2021 and reached a level of 3.1 million tons compared to the 1.6 million tons of sugar production in 2002, Bekir Pakdemirli, the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry said: ‘The beet and sugar production hit the record high of all time.”
In his written statement, Minister Pakdemirli provided information regarding the beet and sugar production.
Pointing out that the 16.5 million tons of beet production of the year 2002 was raised by 39% and reached a level of 23 million tons during the marketing period of 2020-2021, Pakdemirli noted that it was the vegetal products that were mostly produced during that period. Minister Pakdemirli also stressed that the yield of beets per decare was raised by 96% during the marketing period of 2020-2021 and reached a level of around 6,85 tones, compared to the previous level of 3.5 tons in 2002.
Pakdemirli drew attention to the fact that the sugar production was 1.6 million tons in 2002, this volume was further raised by 94 percent during the marketing period of 2020-2021 and reached a level of 3.1 million tones and said: “Thus, the beet and sugar production hit the record high of all time.”
“No imports were made since 2002”
Underlining the fact that all private sugar companies are continuing production and that their production level increased by 24% compared to previous year, Pakdemirli stated the following:
“2021 will mark an additional sugar exportation of 470 thousand tones directly or indirectly corresponding to 150 million dollars. Since 2002, no imports were made for domestic consumption purposes and the sugar requirement is now entirely ensured through indigenous and national beet sugar production. On the other hand, under a new regulation, the quota for starch
Turkey plans to slash use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers in agriculture
Pesticides will be replaced with biological and biotechnical methods for controlling pests. With R&D projects, organic fertilizers will be included in the fertilization program.
Turkey is planning to cut down on its use of pesticides (pest control substances), anti-microbial products and chemical fertilizers as a measure to ensure agricultural sustainability and to boost exports.
The decision came with the “Green Deal Action Plan” published by the Ministry of Trade, which offers Turkey a roadmap to adapt itself to policies to counter climate change and to promote competitiveness in exports.
Actions to ensure sustainability in agriculture are important for Turkey to avoid restrictions in exports to the EU countries. Therefore, the plan will help slash the use of pesticides and anti-microbial substances, and will promote biotechnical and biological methods instead.
Under the same plan, the areas used for organic farming will be expanded and the Turkish legislation on agriculture will be harmonized with the EU. Furthermore, Turkey will take actions with the EU to support trading of organic products.
Turkey will also cut down on use of chemical fertilizers, and will adopt new generation of slow-release fertilizers. Organic fertilizers will be integrated into the fertilization program to improve productivity of soils.
The plan also aims to promote use of renewable energy in agriculture. In this context, geothermal resources will be used in agriculture-based specialized organized industrial zones in Aydın, Denizli, İzmir and Ağrı. Greenhouses and manufacturing facilities that rely on renewable energy resources will be supported.
The action plan also includes measures for waste control. In this framework, R&D projects will study reuse of agricultural waste in production of energy.
Source: Anadolu Ajansı
Medicinal aromatic plants valley will be established in Sanliurfa
The initiatives for establishing a Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Valley over an area of around 150 thousand square meters have started in Şanlıurfa, a leading agricultural center in Turkey with rich and fertile soils..
In partnership with the Metropolitan Municipality of Şanlıurfa and Harran University (HRU), it was decided to establish a Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Valley over an area of around 150 thousand square meters in the Şair Nebi Campus nearby the historical Göbeklitepe Ruins.
In this context, the valley project was promoted during a meeting attended by Zeynel Abidin Beyazgül, the Mayor of the Metropolitan Municipality of Şanlıurfa, relevant heads of departments, Prof. Dr. Sabri Çelik, the Rector of HRU and Prof. Dr. Mehmet Hançer, Vice Rector of HRU.
Attending the meeting, the Mayor Beyazgül stated that the Metropolitan Municipality is an enthusiastic partner of the project as it does everything necessary within its capacity for the implementation of the project, and stressed that a joint working group will be set up with the cooperation of the University and Municipality with a view to starting the works for establishing the Valley.
Prof. Dr. Çelik, the HRU Rector expressed his faith in the possible social and economic impacts at local, regional, national and international levels.
Rector Çelik underlined that the Valley will be a major center of attraction for the incoming domestic and international visitors since the Valley is located nearby the historical Göbeklitepe Ruins. Çelik also added that the chemicals to be obtained from the plants of the Valley will be developed by the academicians at the University and will use them in medicine and food industries.
Prof. Dr. Hançer, the Vice Rector of HRU expressed that the Valley may be used for training the farmers who intend to utilize from different product patters.
Stressing that the Valley will cover facilities to process the plants, Hançer mentioned about their plan to include social facilities like sales outlets for products, interactive agricultural production playgrounds for children, gardens for medicinal and aromatic plants, restaurants, cafeterias, etc.
Source: Anadolu Ajansı
Turkey's agricultural credit agency offered 600 million TRY in interest-free loans in 2021
Fahrettin Poyraz, General Director of Agricultural Credit Cooperatives of Turkey stated “In the first half of the year, we offered 225 million TRY for diesel fuel loan with payment term starting after harvest time, 165 million TRY for feed loans with payment term starting after Eid al-Adha, 130 million TRY for short-term feed loans in addition to 80 million TRY for so-called ‘fertile loans’' and “Our plan is to increase the amount of interest-free loans in our portfolio”.
Fahrettin Poyraz, General Director of Agricultural Credit Cooperatives of Turkey, said the agency offered 600 million TRY in interest-free loans to farmers in the first half of the year.
Poyraz underlined that the institution helps farmers supply all kinds of agricultural input, including seed, feed, diesel fuel, fertilizer, etc., with reliable and affordable loans. The agency also offers technical assistance for farmers in addition to marketing support.
Poyraz pointed out that the agency adopted “fixed interest rates for agricultural loans” in 2019 with the support of the Ministry of Treasury and Finance to create a hedge for members of the cooperative against fluctuations in interest rates. Therefore, any agricultural input, except for fuel oil, can be financed with fixed interest rates.
Alternative loans for farmers
Poyraz stressed that the institution plans to create alternative financing sources for members of the cooperative with new types of loans. “In the first half of the year, we offered 225 million TRY for diesel fuel loan with payment term starting after harvest time, 165 million TRY for feed loans with payment term starting after Eid al-Adha, 130 million TRY for short-term feed loans in addition to 80 million TRY for so-called ‘fertile loans.’”
The new interest-free financing instruments have already become quite popular among farmers, according to Poyraz. “We offered 600 million TRY in total loans to our members to help them supply various types of agricultural input, including feed, fertilizer, seed or diesel oil. Our plan is to increase the amount of interest-free loans in our portfolio” Poyraz said.
Source: Anadolu Ajansı