The Turkish government had announced that farmers who were using non-certificated seeds would not be supported. The pros and cons of the new agricultural policy of the government have been discussed. According to DHA’s report, experts predict hybrid seeds multiplying the production while there are great losses on grain cultivation areas.
'AREA EQUAL TO SURFACE OF BELGIUM IS NOT CULTIVATED ANYMORE'
İstanbul chairman of Chamber of Agricultural Engineers, Ahmet Atalık, reported that due to the agricultural policies of the last 15 years, farmers have quit cultivating 29 million decares of area, which is equal to the surface of Belgium; and an area equal to the surface of the Netherlands has been fallowed.
'TURKEY BREAKING RECORD ON IMPORTS'
Atalık says that "the customs duties have been set to zero in 2017, which was announced as Natural Year of Agriculture. Turkey has been purchasing chickpeas from Canada, Argentina and Mexico; lentil from Argentina and Canada, beans from the USA". "Turkey, being the homeland of wheat; is still breaking a record by paying over 1 billion USD for wheat", he adds.
THE ANCIENT SEEDS OF VILLAGERS
Atalık also reported that the certificated seeds being good quality seeds which are free of diseases, having controlled and analyzed for productivity. He added that “although those seeds being used on cultivation would bring an increase in efficiency and a good quality, that the farmers who do not use certificated seeds will not get agricultural subsidies any more after 2018 is thought provoking". "The whole production of seeds is to be made on ancient seeds. Highest quality seeds of international companies are obtained on the cross production of wild species. Said to be local seeds are, the parents of the seeds in nature, of farmers, villagers in odd corners of Turkey", he added.
'VEGETABLE SEEDS SOLD ON 12.76 USD AND PURCHASED BACK ON 105.20'
Turkey has a 60 percent efficiency in vegetable seeds, however, a deficiency of 40 percent remains. The value of the seeds being sold and purchased in dollars are remarkable. Looking at the wholesale foreign trades of vegetable seeds, Turkey has sold the vegetable seeds on 12.76 USD and purchased them back on 105.20 USD, and has paid eight times more money for the same amount of vegetable seeds.
'TURKEY TO PAY 3.5 TIMES MORE FOR TOMATO, 8 TIMES MORE FOR ZUCCHINI AND 33 TIMES MORE FOR EGGPLANT'
Atalık remarked the amount of money paid for seeds. He told Turkey pays 3,5 times more money for tomatoes, 8 times more money for zucchini and 33 times more money for eggplant and added that although Turkey sells more seeds and purchases fewer seeds; pays 33 times more money for a kilogram of eggplant as an example.’
'BIG DEFICIENCY IN FOREIGN TRADE OF SEEDS'
Lastly, İstanbul chairman of Chamber of Agricultural Engineers explained that Turkey has a big deficiency in the foreign trade of seeds. The gap highly affects the budget. Although the amount exported is high and the amount imported is low, Turkey has gained 19.1 Million USD while spending 96.2 million USD in 2017.
