28.04.2020 Ankara
The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu participated in the Digital Agriculture Market introductory meeting, which was hosted by Agriculture and Forestry Minister Bekir Pakdemirli, with the participation of Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak and Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan, via video conference.
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that they shot two
birds with one stone within the scope of this project, “In the 'Digital
Market', where the contracted agricultural model is applied, the buyer and the
seller come together at the beginning of the road and agree from the beginning.
Everyone is aware of their responsibility. So with this mechanism, uncertainty declines
in the market, everyone can see and plan. I believe that with the further
development of this market in the future, supply and demand will be further
balanced and prevent periodic price fluctuations in agricultural products.”
M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu reported that the
Digital Agricultural Market is a project that will increase the efficiency of
Turkey's agricultural ecosystem and balance supply and demand in the market.
Hisarcıklıoğlu, in his speech, noted
‘domestic production’ and ‘becoming a self-sufficient country’ discussions have
been rekindled in the process of the new type of coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic,
expressing that concepts such as competence in agriculture, domestic and
national production and food safety have become even more important in this
process.
Stating that agriculture and food will be
more important than ever in the years to come, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Fortunately,
our country has managed to stand up to an unprecedented threat. A successful
process is being carried out in the field of health under the leadership of President
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, under the direction of Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca.
We are one of the lowest impacted countries in the world.”
While many countries cannot give the
necessary response to the outbreak, Hisarcıklıoğlu noted that Turkey is one of
the countries which has begun to discuss how to normalize the economy again,
noting that the country is has come together, everyone doing what they can and
continuing to do so.
Hisarcıklıoğlu, emphasizing that Treasury
and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak has implemented very important steps in the
field of economy, said:
“Our Central Bank meets the liquidity
needs of our Treasury and public banks and markets. Trade Minister Ruhsar
Pekcan, innovated foreign trade, brought in contactless trade. This is how we
can continue our exports even at a time when the borders are closed. Minister
Pakdemirli, the first days of the outbreak by going on television gave
confidence to both the producer and the consumer. Undoubtedly, the Digital
Agricultural Market is a project that will increase the efficiency of our
country's agricultural ecosystem and balance supply and demand in the market.”
- “We are an agriculture exporter country”
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that Turkey is the
first in Europe with 275 billion liras of agricultural product today and is in
the top 10 in the world, noting that Turkey is a net exporter country with $18
billion in agricultural exports against $12.7 billion in imports.
He pointed out that the agricultural and
livestock sectors have become sectors that give foreign trade surplus of $5.3
billion.
- Contract agriculture is becoming widespread in Turkey
Pointing out that contract agriculture is
one of the most important systems used by developed countries in agricultural
production, Hisarcıklıoğlu said that about 40% of the United States and about
50% of the European Union produce is contracted.
Hisarcıklıoğlu also expressed that Turkey’s
contracted agricultural system approaching these rates, “One of the most
important articles in the 60-point 'Declaration of Results' announced by
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the closing ceremony of the Agricultural Summit,
was the dissemination of contract agriculture.”
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that they are very
pleased to be involved in these works as TOBB, and said that they will continue
to work with 113 trade exchanges and product specialized exchanges for faster
growth of the Digital Agricultural Market.
- Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan
Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan said in her speech
that a more planned and predictable production structure will be created with
the “Digital Agricultural Market” and that access to the market of small
producers will be facilitated; that, “Digital Agricultural Market will bring a
significant impetus to agricultural production and trade by bringing the buyer
and seller together online.”
Pekcan, in her speech, noted the
importance of food supply security and sustainability for health and
well-being, stating that, “Strengthening the infrastructure in agricultural
production contributes to increasing agricultural exports as well as meeting
our country's agricultural products needs.”
Noting that access to healthy and reliable
agricultural products and the importance of being a self-sufficient country in
agriculture has emerged due to the new type of coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak,
Pekcan expressed satisfaction with the implementation of “Digital Agricultural
Market.”
- Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak
Treasury and Finance Minister Berat
Albayrak, addressing the opportunists who are charging exorbitant price
increases and stockpiling, “Once we are through this Covid-19 process, its
intensity and curfews come to pass, and the normalization process begins, we
will be taking much tougher steps as a Ministry.”
Albayrak connected to the introductory
meeting of the Digital Agricultural Market (DITAP) implemented by the Ministry
of Agriculture and Forestry via video conference.
Albayrak pointed out that they are working
on structural steps that will prevent the volatility in food prices for a long
time and remove food inflation from the agenda, and said that some steps have
been implemented in the Food Committee within this scope.
Albayrak, stated that at core of this
process lies the concept of establishing the fairness of the chain from the
field to the table, “The outbreak of Covid-19 that we face today showed to
Turkey and the world how important food supply security, the security of this
chain is. In times of global crisis, where trade is disrupted and countries are
trying to survive with their own means, the world has seen that food supply security
is an issue of utmost importance.”
- Agriculture and Forestry Minister Bekir Pakdemirli
Agriculture and Forestry Minister Bekir
Pakdemirli stated that with digital agricultural market (DITAP), the chain from
seed to fork can be monitored, “Our farmers will be able to easily find a
market for their products, our consumers and tradesmen will be able to supply
the product to the quality and standard that they are looking for.”
Pakdemirli conducted the introduction of
DITAP at the online conference attended by Treasury and Finance Minister Berat
Albayrak and Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan.
Pointing to the importance of the system,
Pakdemirli said, “With DITAP, our farmers will be able to easily find a market
for their products, our consumers and tradesmen will be able to supply the
product with the quality and standard they seek.”
Noting that the world is going through a
difficult process because of Covid-19, Pakdemirli said that Turkey has
successfully carried out this process against the pandemic thanks to its
measures and its strong infrastructure.
Pakdemirli, stating that the food sector
is the only sector that continues to produce and increase capacity during the
epidemic process, said:
“We need to innovate for agriculture and
food during this period and most importantly prepare for the aftermath of the pandemic.
If we emerge stronger from this difficult process, our country's place and
position in the world will be different from now. It will also be due to
effective agricultural policies that we can get out of this distress stronger.”
- Question answers
Agriculture and Forestry Minister Bekir
Pakdemirli on the questions, stated that the platform aims to aimed to bring
together retailers, wholesalers, producers, small producers, and all such segments,
but that they will make the voice of the small producer greater.
Pakdemirli pointed out that the relevant
units of the ministry are working on the ability to provide agricultural
supports to small family enterprises starting next year, “After a while, we
naturally have to wait for our agricultural supports to evolve towards farmers
who have contracted production. It's a matter of time and process, but we're
going to evolve here. If there is contract production, we will be behind them
in supporting small family businesses, especially agricultural supports.”
Minister of Commerce Ruhsar Pekcan said
that they will strive to use this platform effectively and efficiently with all
stakeholders, and that “We have already worked together with our Ministry of
Agriculture and Forestry in the export of agricultural products. We are also
trying to work towards increasing exports with the increase of agricultural
production.”