Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

TOBB Board of Directors President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stated during the Thrace Region Livestock Congress organized by the Edirne Commerce Exchange and Namık Kemal University that the main problem in the world is food.

Emphasizing that there are two main reasons for the food problem experienced in the world, Hisarcıklıoğlu said that these are extremely high population increase and the transition of 1.5 billion people from the low-income group to the intermediary-income group and stated that while agriculture and livestock used to be engaged in for sustenance, nowadays, it is engaged in for profit.

Stating that the three products which had their prices rise the most during the last year were in the livestock industry, Hisarcıklıoğlu reported that those who wish to profit highly in the coming term would engage in agriculture and livestock.

Hisarcıklıoğlu pointed out that dairy producers in the Netherlands earn 10 times more than those in Turkey and stated that the way to profit is to become a brand, provide hygienic and quality products and market them well. Hisarcıklıoğlu said that even if one of these factors is missing then it is impossible to profit.

Stating that there are 3 highly important matters in the livestock industry Hisarcıklıoğlu went on:

“Feed is very important in livestock. 65-70% inputs of the meat and dairy livestock is feed. Range livestock is very important as grass is free. We must be growing this grass well. We have the soil and we are the 9th largest country in terms of arable land. This is fertile soil. In developed countries like the Netherlands, each year grass is planted just like wheat and barley. If we are unable to bring this to a professional level and make the best of the range we will not be able to compete.

The quality of the livestock is very important. Unfortunately we have been unable to form create our own livestock strain. It can be observed that almost all developed countries have their own strains of livestock. We’ve delved into each and have not been able to even maintain the hybrid. It is unclear what we have, that is why the yield is low. If the products that we put out aren’t modern and hygienic we won’t have a chance to compete. If we want to market our goods to the European Union then we must pay the highest degree of attention to productivity and hygiene. Another matter in this issue is getting our women into the livestock industry. Women employment is 60% in Europe while it is only 26% here. We must be involved in both large and small livestock farming. We must support small livestock dairy production.”

Giving good news to producers, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Bağkur stoppage had been increased from 1% to 5%. As per the request from our exchanges, the meetings we’ve had with the Minister, the stoppage has been lowered to 1% again. This was very important for preventing off the record economy. We thank the Minister for his involvement in the matter.”

- Exports in agriculture have increased

Food, Agriculture and Livestock Deputy Minister Kutbettin Arzu stated that the Ministry has, just as government has achieved successes in the fields of education, health and democracy, has achieved success in its own field.

Turkey has risen from the world’s 11th to the 7th in agriculture while being the 1st in Europe, Arzu said that in 10 years the 23 billion Dollars’ worth of production has increased to 63 billion Dollars.

Edirne Commerce Exchange Board President and TOBB Board Member Mustafa Yardımcı stated that they have succeeded in establishing a Livestock Trade Exchange and that Livestock Specialized Trade Exchanges should be established and that people should be encouraged to take part in livestock farming and small livestock dairy production.

After the speeches, foundations of the licensed storage silos were lain and the opening of the Livestock Trade Exchange conducted.
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