TURKISH AGRI.NEWS

The cannabis cultivation area in Turkey has increased fivefold from last year, from 200 decares (49.42 acres or 200,000 square meters) in 2018, to 1,000 decares (247.11 acres or 1 million square meters) in the current year, according to the data released by Turkey's Agriculture and Forestry Ministry. The increase in the cannabis farming area was recorded after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan last year authorized controlled seeding of cannabis in 19 Turkish cities, to make it available for medicinal and industrial use. According to a decree by the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry, cannabis production has been allowed in the provinces of Amasya, Antalya, Bartın, Burdur, Çorum, İzmir, Karabük, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kütahya, Malatya, Ordu, Rize, Samsun, Sinop, Tokat, Uşak, Yozgat and Zonguldak. Cannabis products are used in the automation, construction, textiles, cosmetics, biodiesel, food, medicine, energy, textile and plastic industries. They also play a role in the manufacturing of p...

Asked about the plight of dairy farmers in Wisconsin, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue said, “[The] big get bigger and small go out and that’s kind of what we’ve seen here... Everyone will have to make their own decisions economically whether they can survive.” The Center for Rural Affairs was founded in 1973. Earl Butz was Secretary of Agriculture. Butz had a similar view, “Get big or get out.” Butz believed farm consolidation was inevitable.. The Center was founded on a different belief. We believe in our ability to come together to shape the future through policy change. We believe in widespread ownership of businesses and farmland. We believe those who work hard ought to have an opportunity to share in the ownership and prosperity their labor created. For 46 years, we have stood up for these beliefs... Unlike Perdue, we believe consolidation in agriculture is not inevitable. Instead, we understand it is the direct result of policy decisions we have made toge...

Since the 2018 Farm Bill in USA removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act, the agriculture industry has been inundated with interest in and information about industrial hemp. Some of the information has indicated a large financial upside for the broadening industry. Producers responded, as hemp acreage in the U.S. tripled from 2017 to 2018. However, CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange division warns that false, outdated, biased or even contradictory information can make it difficult to navigate in this industry. In its latest report, CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange division provides a foundation for understanding some of the key nuances of this growing market and highlights key risks and opportunities. Nine risks or uncertainties that face the hemp industry are identified and assessed on a low to high risk scale for each of hemp’s three crops and markets: fiber, grain/seed and CBD production. “It is important when talking about the risks and opportunities of hemp to recognize that we are no...

Press release... Alaşehir Plain Project: 150 million liras each year to the producer... Abundance comes to Alaşehir (a district of Manisa province), grapes centre of Turkey. With the giant project to be implemented in cooperation with the World Bank, 136 thousand 500 decares of land will have modern irrigation and the producer will get 150 million liras more each year with 2019 figures. Good news to Alaşehir, the grape warehouse of the world's largest exporter of raisins Turkey. Built in 1979, Alaşehir Irrigation is being renewed in cooperation with the world bank. With the project prepared, 40-year open system channels will be transformed into a pressurized closed system. With the new system, both the producer and the national economy will win. 360 km of pipes to be laid... The Alaşehir Irrigation Regeneration Project, which will be implemented in cooperation with the World Bank, covers 136,500 decares of land. Open system channels worn over time within the scope of th...

FAO and the Netherland's FMO partner to improve agriculture financing in developing countries... Focus includes improving agri-business management skills, sustainable agro-ecological and processing practices and food loss-reduction techniques... Roberto Ridolfi, FAO Assistant-Director-General for Programme Support and Technical Cooperation and Pieternel Boogaard, Director of the Agribusiness, Food and Water Department of FMO at today's signing ceremony, 18 October 2019, Rome - The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and FMO , the Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank today launched a formal partnership which aims to increase investments in favor of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and small-scale producers operating within the agribusiness sector in developing countries. According to the Memorandum of Understanding, over the next two years, FAO and FMO will work with members of farmers' organizations, staff of SMEs and rural microfinance institution...

Tens of thousands of pieces of plastic littering the planet come from just a handful of multinational corporations, an environmental pressure group said Wednesday. Coca-Cola, Nestle and PepsiCo were named by Break Free from Plastics, a global coalition of individuals and environmental organizations, who warned the companies largely avoid cleanup responsibility. The coalition's volunteers collected nearly half a million pieces of plastic waste during a coordinated "World Clean Up Day" in 51 countries a month ago, of which 43 percent were marked with a clear consumer brand. For the second year in a row, it said, Coca-Cola came out on top, with 11,732 pieces of plastic collected from 37 countries across four continents — more than the next three top global polluters combined. "Many of them have made commitments that they claim will make their products more sustainable, but largely protect the outdated throwaway business model that got us into this mess in the first pl...

Satsuma mandarin's export journey began on October 18... One of Turkey's traditional export products, indispensable during the autumn months, with vitamin C, satsuma mandarin as a natural medicine against colds, 2019/20 export season began on Friday, October 18, 2019 Low yield but beautiful quality... Aegean Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association Chairman Hayrettin Uçak said that they do not expect a decline in mandarin exports, though low yield, quality is good enough. According to the “Aegean Region Citrus Yield” study, which was commissioned by the Aegean Agricultural Research Institute, Satsuma mandarin yield was 169 thousand tons last year and 122 thousand tons this year. "This will affect our exports positively. Exchange rates also make our exporters competitive. Under these conditions, we are expecting an export season in which the faces of our producers and exporters are smiling," Uçak noted. Eat plenty of citrus products... Aegean Regio...

7th ECO Regional Seed Trade Congress 2019 29 November - 01 December 2019 KREMLINE PALACE Hotel, Antalya, TÜRKİYE PROGRAMME: November 29, Friday: Arrival of participants Whole Day Visiting Growtech International Agricultural Exibition DAY I November 30 Saturday: 08:30-10:00 Registration of Participants 10:00 - 11:00 Opening Session Welcome speeches: • Dr. Mete Kömeağaç, President of ECOSA • Mr.Savaş Akcan, President of TURKTOB • FAO Representative in TURKEY • Deputy Secretary General of ECO  Minister for Agriculture and Forestry TURKEY 11:00 -11:15 Coffee-break First session: “Seed Sector Model and Organization” Chairman: Dr. Vehbi Eser, ECOSA 11:15 - 11:35 Evolution of Seed Sector and Seed Trade in Turkey –TURKTOB 11:35 - 11:55 Role of Euroseeds in Development of the Regional Seed Trade –Garlich Von ESSEN 11:55 - 12:15 Seed Trade Policy Development in the World –Michael KELLER 12:15 –12:35 Discussion and conclusions 12:35 – 13.45 Lunch-break Second ...

The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) provided greenhouses to 50 families to support vegetable cultivation in the Sancak region in the northern part of Montenegro. According to a written statement from TIKA, 50 farmers families were provided with greenhouses in the Sancak region, which is dominated by Bosniak and Albanian families, as part of the "Support for Cover Culture" project. In the representative delivery ceremony held in the city of Biyelo Polye, the Mayor of Biyelo Polye, Abaz Dizdarevic, Deputy Mayor Nermin Becirovic, TIKA Podgorica Program Coordinator Muhammed Ünal and families in need attended. Speaking at the ceremony, Mayor Abaz Dizdarevic thanked TIKA for the many projects he has implemented in the field of agriculture. Pointing out the importance of reaching these supports to those living in rural areas where agriculture is the main source of income, Dizdarevic said that everyone is working together to improve the living conditions...

In 1995, beginning with the 5 saplings as aim of a hobby in Ordu province, kiwi production has reached 3 thousand decares of production area in 26 years along with 2 thousand farmers and 7 thousand tons of yield per year with an economic power of about 25 million liras kiwi production and also branded. Kiwi product has become the second largest source of income after nuts in the province and registered by Turkish Patent Institute (TPI).. TPI registered the Ordu kiwi by taking into consideration produced in an distinctive aroma, quality and long-term storage feature in the warehouse. After the registration and patent of TPI as a geographical sign, Ordu kiwifruit was sold on its branch. Ordu kiwi has become a brand... Ordu Provincial Director of Agriculture and Forestry Kemal Yılmaz said that they had carried out an intensive work in order to become a trademark and succeeded to turn into a brand. Yilmaz pointed out that as a result of their studies with Ordu University, Ordu ...

Farmers can access to the information they need in the digital environment through "İmeceMobil" application developed by SoftTech a subsidiary of Turkey İş Bankası (İşbank). According to İşbank, the Bank continues to implement innovative technology-based projects in the agricultural sector, which is crucial for the country's economy. The "İmeceMobil" application, developed by the bank's technology company SoftTech, is available 24/7 to view various information that farmers will need during production. Thanks to the "İmeceMobil" application, which can be downloaded free of charge to all farmers on their smart phones, production plant information related to fields, gardens and animal husbandry can be recorded and weather forecast reports of these areas can be seen. Frost, hail, lightning, storms and heavy rainfall, such as instant warnings about the farmers can receive in advance, also in the field of agricultural engineers and veteri...

Academics who pioneered on-the-ground experiments to discover the most effective ways to tackle poverty in the developing world have been awarded this year’s Nobel prize for economics . Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, secured the 9m Swedish krona (£720,000) prize with the Harvard professor Michael Kremer on Monday. The Swedish academy of sciences said they were awarded the Sveriges Riksbank prize in economic sciences, given in memory of Alfred Nobel, for research findings that have “dramatically improved our ability to fight poverty in practice”. Duflo, 46, who is only the second woman to win the economics prize and the youngest in the prize’s 50-year history, said she was surprised by the award, especially as it was usually bestowed on older, more experienced academics. Asked if it was important that a woman was recognised by the academy, she said: “Showing that it is possible for a woman to succeed and be recognised for success I hop...

Turkey’s major bean breeder MAY Seed has licensed its green bean variety, Asya, to a company in the U.S.A. Becoming a strong and well known Turkish Seed company with 40 years of experience, MAY Seed not only exports seeds from Turkey to over 40 countries but also exports seed technology and license as a result of strong R&D investment. Materializing around 10 percent of Turkey’s annual seed exports individually, MAY Seed also began to export proprietary corn hybrids bred in Turkey to USA, which is one of world’s largest corn producing country. Having carried out R&D, production, domestic and overseas sale of vegetable, field, industrial and forage crop species seeds since 1978, MAY Seed added 3 new varieties to its green beans portfolio this year as a result of intense breeding programmes. A leading brand in the Turkish Market in bean seed supply, MAY Seed made a name with a broad product portfolio that meets the expectations and needs of the green beans market and food...

The global demand for agricultural products is set to rise by 60 percent, according to the head of the Federation of Food and Drink Industry Association (TGDF) of Turkey. Preventing food loss has been a top priority for providing universal sustainable food access, Semsi Kopuz told Anadolu Agency. All have the right to healthy and balanced nutrition, which all nations that signed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, should work together to provide, he underlined. He added that countries should primarily focus on eliminating the causes of food shortages, including climate change, wars, conflict and unjust income distribution. He said: "Apart from countries, the private sector can also take steps, such as in efforts to prevent food waste." Some 1.3 billion tons -- or one of three units -- of all food produced worldwide is wasted annually, he underlined. "The UN 's goal to end hunger cannot be reached only by raising production. Reducing food loss i...

Agriculture production is in a dire state as climate change continues altering temperature and precipitation patterns, a Turkish scientist said. "Our world is in a critical state when it comes to agricultural output. Some 820 million people are going to bed hungry every night," Levent Kurnaz, a professor at the Center for Climate Change and Policy Studies of Istanbul-based Boğaziçi University, told Anadolu Agency in an email interview. Speaking on the occasion of World Food Day , which is marked on Oct. 16, he highlighted that climate change affects the temperature and precipitation patterns that human beings are accustomed to for the past 10,000 years. This year, World Food Day calls for action across sectors to make healthy and sustainable diets affordable and accessible to everyone. "These changes will, of course, have adverse effects on the agricultural output; when it does not rain during the season it is supposed to rain, and when it rains more than usua...

Interfresh Eurasia, the only Fair of Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Sector, opened its doors... The unique exhibition of the sector which brought in 2 billion 325 million dollars to Turkey last year as fresh fruits and vegetables, Interfresh Eurasia 2019 Fresh Fruit, Vegetables, Storage, Packaging and Logistics Fair opened its doors in Antalya. Exhibitors from 26 countries and more than 600 business people within the scope of the exhibition welcomed fresh fruit, vegetable manufacturers and suppliers, as well as logistics services providers and packaging, packaging, storage industry companies. “Interfresh National Fair of Our Sector" Opening ceremony held by the Governor of Antalya Münir Karaloğlu, Aegean Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Exporters Association Chairman Hayrettin Uçak, Antexpo General Manager Murat Özer, Antexpo Board Member Uğur Fora. Uçak stated that Interfresh Eurasia Fair is the only fair in the sector and therefore very important. Pointing out that Turkey real...

Turkey still has a long way to reach the stars but remains committed to improving local satellite and space technology. The space directorate of a state-run body found grounds for cooperation with a development organization in the country's southeast to ensure agricultural development using space technologies. The "Precision Agriculture and Expansion of Sustainable Practices" project, run by the space department of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) and the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) Regional Development Directorate, is helping farmers increase efficiency. With more technological assistance, Turkey plans to save at least 25 percent in fertilizer use, the highest cost for farmers. Turkey recently set up a space agency and concentrated efforts on research and development in space technologies. It has also successfully built communication satellites. Now it uses its experience in precision agriculture, which is also called satelli...

In the occasion of World Food Day, a range of activities were carried out yesterday worldwide and in Turkey with the slogans "Our Actions are Our Future" and "Healthy Diets for a #Zerohunger World." As part of this day to increase awareness of unbalanced food distribution in the world, the head of the Union of Turkish Agricultural Chambers (TZOB) Şemsi Bayraktar and the Food and Agriculture Organization Subregional Office for Central Asia [FAO-SEC] Turkey representative Viorel Gutu came together in Istanbul to discuss Turkey's targets and contributions for zero hunger. "The accession to safe, nutritious and adequate food by everyone particularly by the poor and children throughout the year, has to be taken under guarantee. In order to reach this target, we have to conduct more strenuous work," stated Bayraktar yesterday. The polarization of diets continues across the world, with obesity hitting record levels on one side and hunger increasing on the ...

Agricultural Machinery Industry in Turkey... A General Overview... Agricultural machinery industry in Turkey has been in a grow trend due to demand both from national and international markets. Turkey is the one of the largest agricultural economy in the world who has been ranked 11th in 2002 and 6th in 2017. It is obvious that Turkey is a big market for agricultural machinery with its agricultural product range and production capacity. Supported by the industrial development in the country, the demand from the national market for modern agriculture machinery and related services has also been met by the local manufacturers. Today, where it has started with an animal drawn plough and several basic equipment in the beginning of the 1900s, almost all the modern agricultural machinery is practicable to be manufactured in Turkey. Meeting also the demand from the foreign markets... According to the official statistics, agricultural machinery industry in Turkey now ranks the 4t...

AYVALIK... Olive/olive oil production has maintained its existence for many years in the Ayvalık region (a district of Balıkesir province) where it is the capital of olives and olive oil for centuries. You will see an olive tree all around and feel the smell of olives to whatever corner you go… Ayvalık seems like a verdant olive sea… Ayvalık is also a fast growing tourism centre which comes to the forefront with each passing day… In this respect it is becoming widely known not only within the borders of our country but also around the world. AYVALIK: CAPITAL OF THE OLIVE... The traditional product of the Mediterranean, olive, is the name of a millennium long culture… And the olive tree has a history of almost 40 thousand years. Anatolia comes to the fore as one of the most vital centres of the olive culture throughout history. In other words, Anatolia and particularly the Aegean coasts are the motherland of the olive… Turks started taking an interest in cultivating and prod...

Turkish Agricultural Machinery for the world's farmers' needs of quality and efficiency... Who We Are... TARMAKBİR, The Turkish Association of Agricultural Machinery & Equipment Manufacturers, is an initiative of Turkish private sector that found in 1978. Being the representative of the Turkish agricultural machinery industry, currently it has more than 200 member companies those are senior manufacturers of tractors and agricultural equipments. TARMAKBİR is one of the oldest member associations in “Mechanical Industry Sector Platform of TURKEY” and has been entitled to use the word “Turkish” at the beginning of its title by a former decision of the Turkish Council of Ministers. Being in a continuous interaction with governmental bodies and national & international organizations, TARMAKBİR serves as a common platform for the industry and supports its members through regulations, technical and scientific improvements, commercial issues, and data providing. Mem...

In the last five years, Turkey launched 215 hydropower plants, 90 wind power plants and 46 geothermal power plants, according to Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Dönmez. These plants, he said on Sunday, meet 30 percent of Turkey's aggregate electricity demand annually. Dönmez added that the construction of 216 hydropower plants was also planned in the coming period. He further noted that 180 wind power plants and 27 geothermal power plants are scheduled for construction in the coming period. Adding some 1,085 megawatts (MW) to its energy mix last year, Turkey has maintained its lead in Europe and moved up to fourth place globally in hydroelectric power capacity installation. The minister pointed out that Turkey's electricity consumption stood at 303.3 billion kilowatt hours (KW) in 2018, while in July 2019, hydropower plants had a production capacity of 28,424 MW, followed by wind power plants with 7,228 MW and geothermal plants with 1,336 MW. Last year, ...

Chairman of Agricultural Development Foundation Mehmet Taşan has made a written statement and emphasized the importance of World Food Day celebrated on 16th of October every year... Press release... In parallel with the world population growth, meeting the food needs has made the agricultural sector one of the most strategic sectors of the century. There is no substitute source for the agricultural sector that produces food and raw materials necessary for human survival and nutrition. The most basic human right is the physical and economic access to sufficient, healthy, safe and nutritious food in order to meet the nutritional needs of an individual in order to maintain an active and healthy life. Societies that cannot produce food cannot be fully independent and free. It should not forget that the way of our freedom is to meet our food with national means. Although human beings produce enough food to feed the whole of the world's population every year, nearly 800 milli...

Turkey 's dairy production went down on an annual basis in August, according to Turkish Statistical Institute ( TÜİK ) on Oct. 11. The amount of milk collected from cows dropped by 7.4 percent year-on-year to 777,969 tons in August, TÜİK said in a statement. Integrated dairies produced 112,365 tons of drinking milk, marking a 13.1 percent drop during the same period. TÜİK data showed that cheese production from cow’s milk slipped 10.4 percent on a yearly basis to reach 54,439 tons in August. "Cheese production from sheep, goat, buffalo and mixed milk was 3,301 tons which increased by 12.6 percent when compared to the same month of last year," it added. The country produced 107,264 tons of yoghurt in the month, down 0.2 percent from August 2018.

The first shipment of eggs was dispatched to the U.S., a market which Turkish egg exporters have been eyeing for a long time, via air cargo. As soon as the products sent as samples pass the necessary tests, 10 containers are expected for delivery to U.S. buyers. Bedri Girit, the chairman of the Aegean Fisheries and Animal Products Exporters' Association, told Anadolu Agency (AA) yesterday that the most important market in the sector, Iraq, has been experiencing difficulties in the recent period, although exports continue. Girit stated that a slight decline has resulted in an export surplus and a decrease in prices, stressing they are focused on developing alternative markets in this regard. Bedri Girit also noted that they are carrying out promotional and marketing activities to the farthest points in the world to eliminate the dependence on a single export market. "In this context, good news came from the U.S. They said they could buy eggs from us. For the last three months,...

Turkey exports agricultural machinery to 130 countries, said the Secretary General of Turkish Association of Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Manufacturers (TARMAKBİR). Selami İleri also said, "Two out of every three tractors produced in Turkey is going to the United States and Italy who are have as say in the world. Apart from that our exports from North African countries to Turkic republics and Balkans in question." İleri noted that the Turkish agricultural equipment industry's exports reached to 830 million dollars last year in terms of tractor parts and equipments. İleri stated that the sector has significant export potential and added: "Agricultural tools from Turkey are exported to 130 countries. Our exports up to this August has risen 20 percent in comparison with the same period last year. It just seems we will exceed a billion dollars in tractor and export of equipment. We are on a considerable level across the world in this respect. We are clos...

Olive oil producers took to the streets of Madrid on Thursday to protest low sale price of the products and demanded protection from the U.S. threat to impose tariffs on European agriculture products. Olive farmers asked for "fair prices" from Spanish Agriculture Ministry, saying it costs more to produce a liter of this "liquid gold" than its sale in the market, according to local daily ABC. They also demanded more regulation, more vigilance and greater quality control. The farmers wanted the Spanish government to take measures to balance the situation while Washington is planning to set a 25 percent tax on EU agricultural imports. If necessary precautions and steps are not taken, the producers warned that in a short time they will also be part of the much-discussed depopulation in Spain, saying their way of life is "seriously" threatened. Some 250,000 families make a living from the olive market in Spain. By Beyza Binnur Dönmez www.aa.com.tr

Chicken meat production in Turkey rose by 0.9 percent in August on an annual basis, Turkish Statistical Institute ( TÜİK ) announced on Oct. 11. Chicken meat production amounted to 163,437 tons in August, while turkey meat production totaled 4,724 tons, TÜİK said. The number of the slaughtered chicken was 93 million in the same month, down slightly by 0.1 percent versus August 2018, the institute noted. It added that the number of the slaughtered turkeys declined by 8.1 percent to 487,000 over the same period. In 2018, Turkey's chicken meat production totaled 2.16 million tons. Throughout the year, the country also produced over 69,500 tons of turkey meat and 134 tons of quail meat. The official poultry production report also revealed that hen egg production in Turkey totaled 1.6 billion units, improving 1.4 percent year-on-year in August. Last year, Turkey produced 19.6 billion hen eggs with an annual hike of nearly 2 percent. The statistical authority will release its next p...

Poyraz Olive Oil in Anuga Food Fair... Press release... Poyraz Olive Oil, one of the most important representatives of the Turkish olive oil sector, took part in the Anuga Fair, which is considered as the largest food organization of the world, which was held in Cologne, Germany on October 5-9. General Manager of Poyraz Olive Oil Soykan Yanya said that the Anuga Fair, which is held every two years, is a good opportunity for those serving in the food sector and they want to taste the world cuisine with Turkish olive oils. Soykan Yanya emphasized the importance of contacting the representatives of food industry across the world and said, "We took our place in the fair to announce the taste of Turkish olive oil to the world. By establishing connections with the world's leading food companies, we have successfully represented both our company and Turkish olive oil. We want to bring our next olive oil to more people.” We represent our country... Noting that the olive ...

Press release... October means olive for us, means harvest and it means love... October means excitement for us, means a sweet flurry... With the happiness of our grandfathers to leave this legacy, olive harvest period is again knocks our door as every year. It is time to harvest the fruits after a big season. We start to collect fresh green olives from the branch very soon. Then we'll bring it to our factory quickly to get pressed. And in the end we will present you our most beautiful, best quality cold-pressed Early Harvest Extra Virgin Olive Oil on 25 October. This is the first time we're getting pre-orders this year. Thus those who want to get this special olive oil immediately, without waiting to get on the shelf will have the opportunity to taste. You know your cargo is at your door in 2 working days at the latest :)

Turkey's table olive exports in the 2018-2019 season soared by 11 percent to 142 million dollars, compared to the previous season, according to the Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TİM). Turkey sold 91,000 tons of table olives, worth 142.1 million dollars, to more than 100 countries from Oct. 1, 2018, the start of the export season, to Sept. 30, 2019. Turkey had exported olives worth 127 million dollars in the previous period. This season's olive exports increased by 11 percent compared to the previous season, while the rate of increase based on quantity was 34 percent. EU countries bought more than half of Turkey's table olives in the remaining season. About 80 million dollars of olive exports worth 142 million dollars, around 56 percent, was carried out to 22 EU countries. The largest amount of olive went to Germany valued at 35 million dollars, followed by Iraq at 25 million dollars and Romania at 20 million dollars. Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Akhisar Chamber of C...