The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, in his speech at the Value Added Hazelnut Award Ceremony in Sakarya, emphasized the need to evaluate hazelnuts as an industrial product and to improve their quality.
The Value Added
Hazelnut Award Ceremony, which was held outdoors in Sakarya İncipark and hosted
by Sakarya Commodity Exchange President Adem Sarı, was held with the
participation of TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu as well as National
Hazelnut Council and Giresun Commodity Exchange President Hamza Bölük, TMO
President Ahmet Güldal, Sakarya Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem Yüce and
Sakarya Governor Çetin Oktay Kaldırım.
TOBB President M. Rifat
Hisarcıklıoğlu, in his speech at the ceremony, emphasized that hazelnuts are
one of the most strategic and valuable agricultural products of Turkey.
Hisarcıklıoğlu, who evaluated hazelnuts with the expression 'gold that grows in
the soil', said, “There is no import input, it is completely domestic and
national. It earns around $2 billion in foreign currency every year. It becomes
income for 600,000 families. It protects the soil, beautifies it. Therefore, hazelnuts
are really a product that brings abundance here. We must know the value of this
blessing bestowed on us by Allah, protect it and develop it."
- We are rich in
production, poor in income
Hisarcıklıoğlu, who
mentioned that despite all its value, unfortunately they could not evaluate
hazelnuts properly, said, “We are rich in production and poor in income in
hazelnuts. We export hazelnuts to about 120 countries. But only 40 percent of
exports are in the form of processed hazelnuts. In other words, we send most of
our product out as raw material. We should consider hazelnuts not only as
snacks but also as industrial products.”
Emphasizing that it is
essential to increase the yield in hazelnut production, Hisarcıklıoğlu said:
“When we increase this, we will see a much greater abundance. For this, it is
necessary to first improve the quality of hazelnuts. We need to rehabilitate
the areas and renovate the old fields. We need to pay more attention to its
care-pruning. Thus, we can double the export revenue, increase it to 5 billion
dollars. As TOBB, together with our Commodity Exchanges, we are working to
increase the number of licensed warehouses in order to add value to hazelnuts.
On the other hand, we
also established the Turkish Product Specialized Exchange. In Giresun, together
with our Giresun Commodity Exchange, Düzce Commodity Exchange and Rize
Commodity Exchange, we put into operation the first Hazelnut Licensed Warehouse
of our country. In this way, both producers, merchants and industrialists will win.
On the other hand, our Commodity Exchanges are also implementing projects aimed
at earning more from hazelnuts. It establishes sample gardens and distributes
saplings to the producer. It is carrying out studies that will increase the
yield and quality of hazelnuts. I am happy to follow them and congratulate
them.”