NİHAT ÇELİK: NATIONAL MOBILIZATION SHOULD BE DECLARED IN AGRICULTURE AND OVINE BREEDING

Chairman of Turkey Sheep and Goat Breeders' Association (TÜDKİYEB) Nihat Çelik said that in order to reduce the effects this novel of Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak, precautions should be taken in agriculture and in small ruminants and a Board of Agricultural Science should be established along with declaration of national mobilization in agriculture so as to provide sustainable food production.

Nihat Çelik also said that not only human health and social life, the economy in the whole world and Turkey under the influence of field outbreak of Covid-19, but in particular ovine breeding negatively affected.

Pointing out the necessity of implementing an emergency action plan in order to avoid any problems in meeting animal production and food needs, Çelik stated that the call "Stay at Home", which is important in combating the epidemic, however it caused a decrease in the demand for mutton.

Indicating that the effect of the epidemic on the economy is reflected in the ovine sector as well, "Sheep meat is consumed mostly in eatinghouse and restaurants. The temporary closure of these places, the banning of picnic and promenade areas and staying of our citizens at homes have reduced the demand for mutton," Çelik noted.

"Our producers must be supported"

Emphasizing that production and marketing continuity is very important in animal husbandry, Çelik made the following assessment:

"Our breeders are trying to combat the difficulties brought by the Coronavirus in order to avoid wasting investments. In these circumstances, while production costs, especially feed prices have increased, cutting prices and decreasing demand also put our growers in an inevitable situation. Our growers must be supported. As The President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan emphasized in almost every speech, it is more important to be a self-sufficient country in the process of fighting the epidemic and where there is no interruption in production. We must continue to persist the action."

Measures to be taken in livestock...

Çelik explained that in order to reduce the effects of the Covid-19 outbreak, measures should be taken in agriculture and ovine husbandry and implement an 'Urgent Action Plan'.

Adding that they evaluate the measures to be taken in order to prevent production from being interrupted, Çelik concluded:

"So as to increase the production of forage crops, the feed costs of the growers who produce themselves should be fully subsidized. Growers producing forage crops should be provided with interest-free, long-term financing. Lamb slaughtering prices should be intervened and prices should be reduced to levels that will affect production. Meat and Dairy Institute (ESK) should intervene in the market. Animals of slaughtering age should be converted into meat products such as 'roasting' and thus the shelf life should be extended. Especially the goat milk, which is above the market need, should be converted into milk powder by purchasing from goat breeders. Zero interest business loans should be given to the breeders, the financial problems of the sector should be resolved. National mobilization should be declared in agriculture and a Board of Agricultural Science should be established for sustainable production in food."