Turkish government plans global umbrella brand for high-end goods

BURSA

Before the end of the first half of this year, Turkey will announce an umbrella brand for the marketing of premium Turkish products in the international arena, the country’s agriculture and forestry minister said.

“We plan to display high-quality indigenous Turkish products abroad, generate demand for them, and sell them at a better price,” Bekir Pakdemirli told Anadolu Agency in an exclusive interview.

Telling how Turkey ranks first in Europe in agricultural production, Pakdemirli added that so far the country has not enjoyed the same success in processed food.

He said the framework for the products to be sold under the new brand will be announced together with the brand name.

“It may include Turkish lokum [Turkish delight], olive oil, figs, and hazelnuts,” he added.

Turkey, the world’s largest hazelnut exporter, last season (September 2017 to August 2018) earned $1.78 billion with nearly 287,000 tons of hazelnut exports.

He also said Turkey will soon unveil its national agricultural plan for the next quarter-century and beyond.

“Turkey’s agriculture roadmap for the next 25-30 years is being prepared,” Bekir Pakdemirli told the 8th Uludağ Economy Summit in Bursa, northwestern Turkey.
He added that the National Unity in Agriculture plan would be unveiled in April or May.

“We also want to set a forestry target for the year of 2123 [Turkey’s bicentennial], we need to pursue this path,” the minister added.

He said Turkey should always have an economic model based on agriculture.

“Employment in the agriculture sector may fall, but we should raise value-added agricultural production,” Pakdemirli underlined.

Turkey ranked first in Europe in agricultural production,” Pakdemirli said.

He also said Turkey will need 50 percent more food within 20-25 years, and the country should create a vision for solving structural problems in agriculture.

“Turkey needs optimization, we can increase our agricultural production fourfold,” he urged.

Cooperation with Qatar

Touching on his visit to Qatar last week, Pakdemirli said a number of meetings were held to boost cooperative agricultural activities and investments between the two countries.

Turkey has many agricultural cooperation deals with foreign countries, including Sudan, Somalia, and Germany.

He said Qatar’s agricultural needs were also discussed during the visit.

“We addressed how Qatar can be sustainable,” Pakdemirli said.

“Turkey has much more to give from its greenhouse to Qatar than the West does,” Pakdemirli said.

“We’re cheaper and are technically skilled in the greenhouse,” he added.