PAKDEMİRLİ: RAISIN PRODUCTION WILL BE OVER 300 THOUSAND TONNES
Agriculture and Forestry Minister Bekir Pakdemirli said that throughout 2019, 4.2 million tons of fresh grapes and 300 thousand tonnes of seedless grape harvest is expected, if it falls below 10 liras of seedless grapes stock exchange price, they will make intervention purchases by Turkish Grain Board (TMO). Stating that Manisa exceeds 1.2 million tonnes of the total grape production and provides 85 percent of Turkish raisin production along with the 20 percent of table grape production, Pakdemirli explained during his ministry despite increasing costs, they have declared such prices that farmers would be satisfied. Without putting the state under load, following the markets well, Pakdemirli noted that they tried to increase the earnings of the farmers and said: "Everyone in the chain from seed to fork will get their right. But we need to re-plan and programme the value chain here. Especially we need to make the fresh fruit and vegetable business the producer will gain the...