Gov’t announces winners of centralized bid to supply food to army after poisoning cases
ANKARA
The Turkish government has announced the winners of a centralized tender to supply food to the army after a series of serious food poisoning cases in barracks across the country.
Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli said a total of three companies were invited to bid to supply canned fish to military barracks at a press meeting in Ankara on Jan. 3.
“After our evaluations, Kerevitaş won this tender. Our soldiers will enjoy their high quality products,” he said.
After the announcement was made, shares belonging to Yıldız Holding’s Kerevitaş soared in the main stock exchange, gaining more than 18 percent.
Canikli noted that Yaşar Holding’s Pınar won another tender to collect and supply organic milk and milk products to the soldiers.
The ministry will buy key food products, including meat, tea and olives, directly from organizations related to the Food, Agriculture and Livestock Ministry.
“In this vain, we will procure 758 million Turkish Liras worth of food products from the Food, Agriculture and Livestock Ministry’s organizations,” Canikli said.
“We will buy food products worth 510 million liras from the Meat and Milk Board [ESK], 91 million liras from the Agricultural Credit Cooperatives, 44 million liras from the Marmara Union of Olive Sales Cooperatives, 23 million liras from the Tariş Olive and Olive Oil Association, 28 million liras from the Trakya Olive and Olive Oil Association, 25 million liras from the state-owned tea company Çaykur, 13 million from the Turkish Grain Board [TMO] and 23 million liras from the production facilities of the Justice Ministry,” he added at the press event, during which he and Agriculture Minister Ahmet Eşref Fakıbaba signed a protocol for the deal.
The ministry also commenced a pilot project in an effort to supply organic milk and eggs to be consumed by military troops in the eastern and southeastern provinces.
“We will start with milk and eggs. We will buy 200,000 liters of organic milk and 1.65 million organic eggs in 2018 to be consumed by the troops in these regions,” Canikli said, adding that other products and regions would be added according to the results of the project.
Thousands of soldiers have been hospitalized over the past couple of years after being affected by food poisoning at military barracks.
Over four tons of horse meat was found in canned foods bought for the Turkish Naval Forces Command in 2015, Canikli said in December 2017.
He then stressed that the meat was never served.
