YENİ Party Agricultural Policies Board Chairman Sencer Solakoğlu criticized agricultural policies during a press conference held at the party's Mersin Provincial Headquarters. Stating that he met with lemon and persimmon producers in Mersin, Solakoğlu said that producers are in a difficult situation due to rising costs and low purchase prices.
Solakoğlu argued that early-harvest lemons are bought from the producer for 1 lira, while they are sold for 43 lira in the market. Citing the example of Spain, Solakoğlu stated that the producer's share in the same retail price would correspond to 21.5 lira.
Stating that the problems in agriculture are not limited to a single product, Solakoğlu expressed that producers are experiencing similar issues across many categories, including lemons, tangerines, persimmons, olives, cotton, hazelnuts, meat, milk, peaches, and apricots.
It doesn't matter if it's just lemons, just tangerines, just persimmons, just olives, cotton, hazelnuts, whatever it may be, meat, milk, peaches, apricots; there is a fire everywhere. If there is a problem with one product in a country, it could be said to be sector-specific or related to that product. If there is a fire in every product in a country, this is clear proof of a lack of planning and mismanagement.
Saying that lemon producers have started to cut down trees they have worked on for years to turn to different products, Solakoğlu noted that olive producers are also experiencing uncertainty about the future. He argued that producers had issued warnings months ago, but these warnings were not taken into account.
Targeting the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Solakoğlu said, "The Ministry of Agriculture is asleep. It doesn't even care. They are trying to manage agriculture through perception. They can't even manage that."
Stating that a planned production model should be adopted in agriculture, Solakoğlu said that farmers should know at what price, to whom, and when they will sell their products before planting. He stated that if they come to power, they will establish a system based on the State Planning Organization model.
Claiming that buyers are more influential than producers in determining milk prices, Solakoğlu also reported that they are conducting legislative work to change the current structure.
Criticizing the policies of Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı, Solakoğlu said that the minister should leave his post. "If we were living in a normal country, I would call for the resignation of the Ministry of Agriculture, but it is forbidden to resign," said Solakoğlu, arguing that Yumaklı should ask the President for his pardon.
Criticizing the era of former Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bekir Pakdemirli as well, Solakoğlu claimed that problems have grown even further during the Yumaklı era. Solakoğlu said, "I demand that he resign immediately, and if possible, that the entire government resign and new elections be held."
News Source: 12punto
