"THE PURPOSE IS EXTINGUISHING THE FIRE"
"WE WILL CHOOSE COOPERATIVE SYSTEM"
Minister Pakdemirli indicated that chickpea has been started to be sold from 5,5 Lira and lentil from 4,5 Lira today at the regulated sales points. He said, "next week we will start to sell rice in 5 kg packages from 30 Lira."
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bekir Pakdemirli made evaluations on the agenda.
Pakdemirli remarked that the reasons of the price increases is because of the hose and flood disasters and opportunists' operations and he said that good results are seen in the regulated sales.
Pakdemirli evoked that producer's tomato is sold from 3 Lira, but in Istanbul people buy the same tomato from 9,5-10 Lira. He expressed that the remedy is cooperatives' sales.
Pakdemirli said that when cooperatives are not on the sales points, the state has to enter in the field and they organized in 5-6 days for regulated sales with the instruction of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Pakdemirli stated that the Ministry has a new team from the private sector who understands these works and he told that they realized regulated sales fast with the Agricultural Credit Cooperatives and municipalities.
"THE PURPOSE IS EXTINGUISHING THE FIRE"
Pakdemirli stated that the aim is to extinguishing the fire and he said, "This is today's result".
Pakdemirli pointed out that Ziraat Bank announced their supports about greenhousing and he said:
"We are aiming the greenhouse areas to double in Turkey. If we achieve that, we will lower the price fluctuations. In my opinion, the prices in the market and whole sale points has reached a discount of 40-50 percent. In this sense I think the works have reached the achievement. The purpose was acquired. Those who want to criticize can do as much as thay want."
He expressed that regulated sales in vegetables and fruits need more than 15-20 days. He said "In the following period, the sales at the sales points depend on the future demand. We have expanded our activities in the direction of the target and light given to us by our President. Chichpeas and lentils came into play today. Rice will be sold next week. Today, chickpeas have been sold from 5,5 Lira and lentil from 4,5 Lira. Market prices are close to two times more now. Next week we will start to sell rice in 5 kg packages from 30 Lira."
"COOPERATIVES WILL ENSURE PRODUCER-COMSUMER CONNECTION"
About the targets and works of Food Committee, Pakdemirli said that cooperatives are very important in the context of structural development areas of agriculture.
Pakdemirli stated that from the beginning of his ministerial period he consider the "protecting the producer, watching for the consumer" principle. He said, "In fact, this is not only the work of the Ministry. The Ministry establishes the mechanism, but the cooperatives need to bring the producer and the consumer together. The cooperatives will establish the connection here."
"WE WILL CHOOSE COOPERATIVE SYSTEM"
Pakdemirli remarked that Turkey has not very successful cooperative examples when we look at the worl examples. He said, "Our best cooperative is Pankobirlik. However, there are cooperatives which have 45-50 billion dollars turnover. They have taken very important steps in terms of connecting consumers and producers and solved structural problems. Turkey is obliged to make successful cooperatives. Unfortunately, our cooperative ecosystem is a bit disorganized. There are around 15 thousand cooperatives and they do not produce any value such as money and turnover. There are a lot of hollow cooperatives. They are trying to survive with dues unfairly. We hope that this ecosystem will get better from the second half of the year. I give the cooperatives the following message, "Gather! Bring your proposals on the system that creates value. We do not want to approach you top down. Try to work in line with the world examples and we will do what you need." It is absolutely necessary to connect the producer and consumer. The state is forced to enter the market, but this is cooperatives' work.I think we will see good examples in the new period. Agricultural Credit Cooperatives also has a cooperative idea. Maybe municipalities should give more place to cooperatives. So that 200-300 products with the actual models can be sold at the regulated sales points."