THE GLOBAL WINDOW OF TURKISH FOOD AND AGRICULTURE The Global Window of Turkish Food and Agriculture Sector
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August 2026…
Press release…
Harun Çallı, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Association of Packaged Milk and Dairy Products Manufacturers (ASÜD), stated that milk and dairy products are also an important animal-based food product in terms of economic accessibility.
“Milk and dairy products are among the most accessible sources of protein, particularly for children and young people. Meeting protein requirements through meat products involves higher costs. For this reason, dairy products—which remain the cheapest source of animal protein—are of critical importance in public nutrition and development,” Çallı said.
Highlighting the importance of the School Milk Programme, which was launched under the leadership of ASÜD and has been implemented in recent years, Çallı noted, “Helping children develop a habit of drinking milk is important for long-term public health. Initiatives such as the School Milk Programme are not merely a form of food aid. They are also a social investment that helps children develop the habit of drinking milk. It also makes a significant contribution to combating the risks of protein deficiency and stunting, as seen in Ministry of Health data,” he noted.
Reminding that milk and dairy products also play a vital role for older adults in terms of bone health, the maintenance of muscle mass and balanced nutrition, Çallı added, “If adults, who believe the statements of certain individuals with academic titles that contradict scientific knowledge, exclude dairy products from their diets and are steered towards plant-based drinks, this will lead to significant health problems. To suddenly claim today that a healthy food such as milk, which has been consumed for generations, is unhealthy, and to ‘slander the farmer’s hard work’ is simply incomprehensible.”
“As parents, for the sake of our own health and that of future generations, we must make more room on our tables for ayran, yoghurt and cheese products instead of fizzy and sugary drinks and set an example for our children,” he concluded…
