Minister Kirişci Announces 50% Grant Support Program
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Vahit Kirişci, recently visited Kırşehir to attend various programs. Speaking at the “Agricultural Sector Representatives Meeting”, Minister Kirişci highlighted Turkey’s impressive achievements in the agricultural sector. He stated, “We have become a country that produces seeds domestically, exports to 97 countries worldwide, and produces 96 percent of certified seeds domestically. This is where we come from, and we have become a country that has a significant say in agriculture.”
Kirişci then went on to provide statistics on Turkey’s agricultural production, “Our cattle breeding has increased by 72 percent, reaching 17 million heads. Our sheep and goat population has grown by 76 percent, reaching 56.3 million heads. We have 114 percent more beehives, with 9 million hives. Poultry numbers have increased by 46 percent, reaching 367 million. Our production of red meat has increased by 180 percent, from 780 thousand tons to 2.2 million tons. Raw milk production has increased from 8.4 million tons to 21.6 million tons. Our chicken meat production has increased by 245 percent, reaching 2.4 million tons. We have also doubled our honey production to 114 thousand tons, a 53 percent increase, making us a significant player in the world market.”
The Minister mentioned that initially, animal husbandry only received 4.4 percent share of support, but this has now increased to 25 percent. Certified seed production has reached 1.4 million tons, an increase of nine times from previous.
Furthermore, he announced that the government will provide grant support for animal purchase and development, stating, “We will offer 50 percent grant support for animals obtained from heifer breeding centers and 40 percent grant support for animals obtained from other enterprises identified by our ministry.” Kirişci stated that they will use this grant to benefit veterans and relatives of martyrs, calling it a “Pine Gum Shepherd’s Gift.”
Turkey’s tremendous growth in agriculture is due to many factors, including the determination to produce and export more. With the support of the government, Turkey has become a significant force in the industry, helping to fuel the economy and meet the demands of the global market.
