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Başevirgen from CHP; “The Ministry Should Regulate the Milk Market Without Wasting Time”
Republican People’s Party (CHP) Manisa Deputy and Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Affairs Commission Member Bekir Başevirgen stated that the raw milk reference price determined by the National Dairy Council (USK) is insufficient for a sustainable production and said that the Ministry should reorganize the milk market as soon as possible.
Başevirgen, in his assessment on the subject, said, “The National Dairy Council has determined the raw milk reference price as 3 liras and 20 kurush (kuruş) per litre from 1 July until the end of the current year. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry reduced the support premium given to the producer from 30 kurush to 20 kurush per litre. In addition to the determined reference price, the producer will be paid a difference of 5 kurush for each dixiem increase that will occur above the fat and protein values. For each dixiem decrease that will occur below these rates, the price of 5 kurush will be deducted.”
“The industrialist will win, the producer to be punished”
Bekir Başevirgen, who said that the Ministry’s reason for additional payment/deduction based on fat and protein is to increase the quality of raw milk production and hike the income of the producers, explained, “Quality-based pricing, which is said to be taken for the protection of the producer, is actually a step taken to protect the industrialists. Namely; Don’t worry about the industrialist who makes cream and butter by removing the excess fat from the milk and offers the remaining 3.2 percent fat milk for consumption, we will punish the producer who cannot provide more fat milk.”
“How to Analyze Fat and Protein in Milk?”
On the other hand, Bekir Başevirgen noted that the necessary support was not given to the producer to provide the necessary analysis devices and infrastructure for the determination of the fat, protein and dry matter ratios in the milk, and added, “Let’s assume that support will be given for the supply of equipment, will the main supported in this case the farmer or a few companies? Do you want to create new markets for companies that produce and sell these devices? Will the farmers be compelled to the companies that sell these equipments?”
