DR. CENGİZ ERKAN: WE NEED AN 'AGRICULTURE ACTION PLAN' URGENTLY

Chairman of the Van Zootechnics Association and a member of the Board of the Zootechnics Federation, Lecturer Dr. Cengiz Erkan said that the 'Agriculture Action Plan' should be prepared and implemented immediately in this process.

He pointed out that the first problem encountered in the coronavirus epidemic process is the increasing demand for food. Cengiz Erkan stated that without addressing the other parts of the sector, panic air should be analyzed correctly and the production risks should be implemented and urgent solution suggestions should be put into effect. Noting that the world is experiencing an extraordinary situation, Erkan said that even the world's strongest economies are about to kneel against this situation.

You can not delay some doings in agriculture...

Erkan explained, "However, when we reach the future, it is compulsory to create action plans in some areas and to be put into operation in a short time in order to avoid larger problems that have changed in size and shape. The first and most important of these fields is agricultural production. Agriculture, which is the whole of animal and crop production, is quite different from other industries. In the sector where live production materials are used, there is time-dependent activity. It is not possible to postpone many of these activities. In a dairy cattle enterprise, you cannot postpone milking or feeding. Similarly, it is necessary to take the vegetable or fruit from its branch, which is the time of harvest. The day is a time in many parts of our country where seeds must be thrown into the ground and the animal must meet the pasture."

Age of farmers in general...

Indicating that they support all the measures taken due to coronavirus and find these measures compulsory, Erkan said:

"People around 65 years old constitutes the most important age group of agricultural production. While we slow down the life, we should evaluate the agricultural production dimension separately. On the contrary, we have to take different measures for this period and near future, where we need more production, agricultural crops. The conditions of producers who have to go to their field, barn or pasture at such a level that will not harm him and his environment may need to be reconsidered. Or ways of employing a younger population who cannot work in the existing structure should be sought instead of the risky age group recommended to move to a more stable life."

Erkan emphasized that dry foods and processed animal products and fresh fruits and vegetables are the result of agricultural activities before the negative process, continued as follows:


"It should be taken into consideration that disruptions in crop production, especially in greenhouse cultivation, may cause difficulties particularly in the production of fresh vegetables and fruits. If we want to find legumes, tomato paste or olives on the shelves next year, the problems that may cause disruption should be foreseen and solutions should be offered without delay. It is inevitable that the suggestions and plans to be made during these periods of invisibility are also storage-oriented."

Roughage is so important...

"Another aspect of crop production is the production of forage crops. The biggest input of animal production is feed. This rate, which may vary depending on the livestock branch, varies in the range of 60-80 percent. Roughage is extremely important for cattle and small ruminants. There is also the subject of concentrated feed. If it is not available, there is no other component that you can replace immediately. We have to plan. Our forage crop stocks should be clearly demonstrated. Alternatives should be taken into consideration for forage crops likely to experience problems with a projection. To ensure that all areas are planted in this period, where production has not been interrupted and that we have to produce more, should be among the main targets," Erkan added.

Seasonal agriculture workers...

Underlining that the seasonal workers, many of those working in the agricultural sector Erkan concluded, "Almost half of agricultural workers are seasonal across the world. Alike is Turkey. It counts about 6-7 million overall but nearly half of them are seasonal workers. These people mostly come from the Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia Regions.Think of that, millions of them head for the Black Sea region for hazelnuts, Aegean for olives, Central Anatolia for onions and sugar beets, Eastern Anatolia for apricots and Çukurova for cotton, greenhouse and fruit production. In today's conditions, even thinking about the consequences of production disruption due to the current measures is very saddening. In these days the EU is feeling the impact of the virus at the highest level and is looking for ways to ensure free movement of seasonal workers so that its production is not disrupted throughout Europe."