TEVFİK KESKİN: WE HAVE TO PROTECT OUR MILK PRODUCERS IN EVERY RESPECT

The Chairman of Turkey Milk Producers' Association Tevfik Keskin said that producers had come to depletion point because of often preffered imports rush some time ago, as a matter of fact production in general had a major blow due to such discourses.

Pointing out that the practices for domestic production and producer have improved in the current conditions, Keskin said, "Farmers do not have to worry about being rich. We are only producers. We are concerned about getting along and having our children educated. We are not people who have the ambition to make money, but on the side of making our production sustainable. We want to see us ahead with long-term policies and ensure that small family businesses can continue production."

"Farmers must be supported"

Keskin demanded that the producers be included in the economic support in the new type of coronavirus preventive package announced by President Tayyip Erdogan and that a new morale can be provided on farmers.

"Let's be patient for a few more years"

Explaining that milk producers had to give up production by staying in a vicious circle for a while, Keskin stated:

“We call it food inflation and immediately throw the blame on the producer. We have a level of production. This level is enough for our country. However, when we fall below this smallest level, import rhetoric begins immediately, some of them are getting an animal cut, again, animals are brought from outside, this vicious cycle continues, importers intervene. For this reason, the number of producers has decreased continuously. Now these import discourses have stopped. However, we need a sustainable policy that will completely destroy it and will not raise it again. Imports are limited or blocked. We are happy with this right now, be sure, if we are patient for a few years, our animals will multiply and everything will be alright."

"No way without food. We have to protect our domestic producers and our production in every respect," he concluded...