ALPER ALHAT: WE CALL FOR MORE SUPPORT FOR OLIVES FROM AKHİSAR

Akhisar calls for support for olives...

There exist 190 million olive trees in Turkey.

Akhisar, a county of Manisa province, hosts 14 millions of total by itself. 

Stating that they demand support for the increase in production of olives, Akhisar Commodity Exchange Chairman Alper Alhat said, "We have been trying to do our best in order to be able to produce the best olives."

Akhisar Commodity Exchange Chairman Alper Alhat expressed pointed out that they work with the aim of target getting 'Quality Production-Quality Product'.

"Olives, collected individually by hand as much as possible, are brought to factories without wasting time, that means, quality olives are produced in Akhisar" he said.

Yield Loss...

Alhat told that two basic supports are needed for sustainability of olive production one of which the premium support recently implemented, but the second one is to reduce the VAT to 1 from 8 percent. If the reduction of VAT from 8 percent to 1 percent can be added to the premium support for table olives, then consumption increases exponentially.

Devotion of producers...

Pointing out that increasing consumption will make the producers happy, Alhat noted: "During the crisis, producers supported the country by not increasing the price of olive and olive oil on the shelves, but struggled to survive. We couldn't afford the land costs. Everyone from the ministry to the consumer should put his hand under the stone if we really want the wheel rotates."

Let the children grow through olive trees...

"I invite everybody to plant olive trees so that to make it much more likeable in Turkey. planted olive areas could olives, citrus fruits should be planted in areas where citrus cultivation. Like the palm, the olive tree is an evergreen tree with high oxygen quality. So come on, let's plant an olive tree not a palm in the gardens of our summer houses. Let our children grow up with our national product olive" Alhat added.

"They have doubled the number of trees in the last 10 years to reach more consumers. Emergency support is essential. Only 30 billion liras is allocated part of Turkey's 878 billion budget of Agriculture and Forestry Ministry. First of all, the budget of the Ministry should increase so that the Ministry can support the farmer much more" Alhat concluded...