Minister Yumaklı stated that necessary actions will be taken against companies that commit fraud in food.

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Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı held a press conference to evaluate the year 2024 and announce the targets for 2025 as the year comes to an end. Minister Yumaklı addressed many issues, from the recent surge in cases of counterfeit alcohol to the list of imitation and adulterated food products. He stated regarding the brands on the list, "We do not care at all who they are."

As the year 2024 is ending, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı made a final assessment of the year to the press. He touched upon all the significant issues that have gained attention recently, including counterfeit alcohol, the list of imitation and adulterated products, and agricultural pesticides.

Minister Yumaklı emphasized that they are constantly in the field with nearly 160,000 personnel from 31 institutions and units, including central provincial and district organizations. He stated that no land is left uncultivated, saying, "We started our work this year to lease agricultural lands that have not been cultivated for two consecutive years for agricultural purposes."

"WE DO NOT CARE AT ALL"

Addressing the imitation and adulteration list that includes major brands, Yumaklı noted that 1.3 million inspections have been conducted this year, and nearly 1.4 billion lira in fines have been imposed.

Regarding the fraud in food, Minister Yumaklı stated, "We first take necessary actions regarding imitation and adulterated products, then we expose them. We do not care at all who the companies that endanger public health are; we will continue to take necessary actions."

STATEMENT ON PRODUCTS RETURNED FROM THE EU: WE DESTROY THEM WITHOUT ALLOWING ENTRY INTO THE COUNTRY

Yumaklı reported that they have expanded early warning systems against floods nationwide, increasing the number of flood early warning systems from 322 to 533. He continued, "We have increased our inspections to ensure that our citizens have access to safe food. This year, we conducted 1.3 million inspections and imposed nearly 1.4 billion lira in fines. We filed criminal complaints with 570 prosecutors. We have implemented a new system that instantly publishes the names of companies and brands associated with health-threatening and imitation-fraudulent products. We have initiated a QR code application in food businesses. Now, our citizens can access the inspection information of our Ministry for businesses engaged in food production and sales and collective consumption places by scanning QR codes with their mobile phones. With the change made in the official control of products returned from the EU, we do not allow the direct passage of returned products into internal customs. We destroy unsuitable products without allowing entry into the country. We have increased our pesticide inspections. In the last three years, we have taken 250,000 samples throughout the entire food chain, including pre-harvest production areas, post-harvest food businesses, and before export. We destroy those found to have negative results during inspections."

To prevent losses and unregistered trade due to counterfeit alcohol, Yumaklı emphasized that they are tracking alcohol trade with an electronic tracking system, stating, "In this context, we have installed technical devices in 18 ethyl alcohol production facilities and 15 sumac production facilities."

ACCESS TO HEALTHY MEAT IS A PRIORITY

Minister Yumaklı also addressed meat production, stating that access to healthy meat is a priority, saying, "We have opened Veterinary Road Control Stations in Erzurum, Elazığ, Ankara, and Kayseri to prevent animal diseases."

Recently, cases of counterfeit alcohol have also increased significantly. Addressing the losses and unregistered trade, Minister Yumaklı stated, "We are tracking alcohol trade with an electronic tracking system. In this context, we have installed technical devices in 18 ethyl alcohol production facilities and 15 sumac production facilities."

"OUR PRODUCERS WILL BE ABLE TO SEE SUPPORT AMOUNTS WITH A SINGLE CLICK"

Indicating that they have made a total of 91 billion lira in direct support payments to producers in various categories in 2024, Yumaklı said, "We frequently heard questions from our producers in the field about 'where and what should I plant to receive how much support.' We are launching a new application today that will provide great convenience to our producers regarding support payments. Now, our farmers will be able to see how much support they will receive for plant production, livestock, and aquaculture with just one click. Our farmers will enter the address supporthesaplama.tarimorman.gov.tr. In plant production, they will easily calculate how much support they can receive by entering information about location, product, irrigation status, and area. Similarly, in livestock and aquaculture, they will be able to see how much support they can receive by entering the necessary information. This new application, which we will also integrate into Tarımcebimde, is beneficial for our farmers and producers."

Minister Yumaklı stated that they have established Organized Agricultural Regions to support and develop agriculture at an affordable cost, and reported that they have completed the infrastructure construction of 14 OTBs and made them available to investors. He emphasized that production has started in 11 of these regions and announced that they have completed the Elazığ Cevizdere and Malatya Yazıhan OTBs in 2024 and made them available to investors. Minister Yumaklı highlighted, "We have prepared Agricultural Investment Guides for investors who will invest in agriculture in all 81 provinces, which we will publish in the coming days."

Yumaklı stated that under the Agricultural Insurance Pool TARSİM, they have provided 10.5 billion lira in premium support as a state and paid 12 billion lira in damage compensation to producers, saying, "We harvested our first domestic and national sugar beet seed varieties, Türkşeker 2023 and Türkşeker 2053, which our sugar beet producers have been longing for years."

Yumaklı mentioned that they are conducting studies to prevent poaching in inland waters and to protect biodiversity, stating that they conducted 181,000 inspections this year, "By having over 374,000 invasive balloon fish caught, we supported our fishermen and protected the biodiversity in our seas."

He stated.

Yumaklı, who announced that they continue to invest in agricultural irrigation, drinking water, and energy production, said that they have put into service 577 water and irrigation facilities with an investment of 115 billion TL.

Minister Yumaklı drew attention to the fact that they are also continuously working on the renovation of dams and irrigation facilities in the earthquake-affected provinces, stating that they have spent 15.5 billion lira for the provision of drinking and utility water for earthquake housing and that they will invest an additional 30 billion lira within 2 years.