Agricultural industrial zones to be established: Minister

ANKARA

The government is working on plans to establish agricultural organized industrial zones (OIZ) that will help bring food prices under control, Agriculture Minister İbrahim Yumaklı has said.

At some 100 locations agricultural OIZs, which will use geothermal power, will be set up, according to the minister.

“Those specialized zones are important for urban agriculture. They will help urban population access to food at affordable prices while boosting agricultural exports,” Yumaklı said.

The ministry’s plans covering the next five years, is focused on production, he added.

“Lowering input costs, increasing productivity, boosting quality, the digitalization of agriculture and the simplification of the management process are our top priorities.”

The technical infrastructure for conducting agricultural inventory is almost complete, he added.

A protocol regarding the inventory between his ministry and the Finance Ministry will be signed, Yumaklı said.

“The inventory will put a wide range of information - from the number of animals to data on lands - under record.”

The last agricultural inventory was carried out in 2001 in Türkiye.

Türkiye with 1,313 cubic meters of water per capita is among the water stressed countries, Yumaklı said, adding that this number will further decline to 1,200 cubic meters in 2030.

“When it drops below 1,000 cubic meters, we will face water scarcity.”

Large investments are planned in smart irrigation, modern irrigation systems, he said, adding that “we want to reduce water waste.”

The government is still working on agricultural production in foreign countries, according to the minister.

Specialized country desks for Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Algeria, Mauritania, Venezuela, Chad, Kazakhstan, Hungary, Georgia and Pakistan have been set up and they have all detailed information on agriculture production in those nations, he said.

“Through those country desks, we will help entrepreneurs who want to do business there.”

Wheat production is expected to be around 22 million tons this year and there is surplus of durum wheat, which will be exported, he said.