Milk sector under threat of plot, says association

ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

Some media stories discussing the safety of milk in the country is a part of a black campaign against the drink, says Yetkin, head of the agriculturalists’ association. Hürriyet photo

Turkey’s milk industry has been subjected to a campaign since soft drinks were prohibited in school canteens, according to the president of the Agriculturalists’ Association of Turkey (TZD).

“A campaign against milk has been initiated against the milk [industry] lately. Attacks started after soft drinks were prohibited at school canteens. I believe the discomfort of some sectors, which are an alternative to the milk [industry], is a reason in this debate,” İbrahim Yetkin said in reference to recent rumors about the possibly carcinogenic nature of domestic milk. The discussions were triggered after Mehdi Eker, the agriculture minister, said in response to a parliamentary question from an opposition deputy that traces of antibiotics and alpha toxin M1 were found in milk during controls and inspections conducted by the ministry. Eker later said there were only minimal carcinogenic traces.

Yetkin did, however, acknowledge some problems in the milk sector. “Six million tons of milk is produced informally,” he said.