ULUSOY: TURKEY SHOULD PREPARE FOR ARID YEARS IN WHEAT

Chairman of Turkish Flour Industrialists Federation (TUSAF) Günhan Ulusoy said that about 19-20 million tons of wheat produced annually but Turkey should prepare for drought years in wheat...

He said: "An arid year can reduce this amount by 20 percent. Our production should be raised to 21 million and building 5 million tons of safety stock is required."

In a statement to the AA correspondent, Ulusoy said that wheat production remains the same with the increase of yield while crop areas contracting but new policies should be determined according to the current situation.

Stating that there was 9.3 million hectares of wheat cultivation area in 2001, Ulusoy expressed that this area fell below 7 million hectares in 2019, "The most important factors are the agricultural area going out of agriculture and the farmers shifting to alternative crops. This is the break point yet should no longer fall" he noted.

Ulusoy, International Operational Millers Association of Eurasian Executive Director at the same time, reminds that there are different climates in different regions in Turkey, that's why there will never be an exact drought, however a probable drought in Southeast and Central regions might pull the production down.

Ulusoy also noted that 1 decar of wheat yields in the last 15 years has risen from 200 kilograms to 270 kilograms, but such a drought might create a risk by decreasing yields.

Underlining the lack of incentives other than wheat production in areas where irrigation facilities are weak, increasing storage facilities for the sustainability of production and accelerating licensed warehousing, Ulusoy concluded, "We need a reserve stock that will protect us for 1-2 years. China keeps wheat in stock as amount of 90 million tons for its annual consumption."