THE GLOBAL WINDOW OF TURKISH FOOD AND AGRICULTURE The Global Window of Turkish Food and Agriculture Sector
Related Articles
JOINT PRESS RELEASE FROM INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES…
Sector representatives made a joint press statement on the problems experienced in the dairy sector and their solutions.
Chair of the Union of Turkish Agricultural Chambers (TZOB) Şemsi Bayraktar, Chair of the Central Union of Turkish Dairy Producers (TSÜMB) Tevfik Keskin, Chair of the Central Union of Cattle Breeders of Turkey (TDSYMB) Kamil Özcan, Chair of the Central Union of Livestock Cooperatives of Turkey (HAYKOOP) Ahmet Ertürk, Chair of the Central Union of Agricultural Cooperatives (TARIMKOOP) Mehmet Özkurnaz, Chair of the Central Union of Rural Cooperatives (KÖY-KOOP) Eray Çiçek and Chair of All Dairy, Meat and Cattle Breeders’ Association (TÜSEDAD) Sencer Solakoğlu put the signature.
The explanations of the sector representatives are as follows;
As it is known, on November 24, 2021, we made a joint statement to the public, including our problems and expectations, as all producer organizations. This initiative we made on behalf of our producers received a response from the authorities and the Food Committee did not intervene in the price determination process at its meeting held on November 29. The raw milk recommendation price was determined by the producers and industrialists in the National Dairy Council Board of Directors by bargaining method.
With the decision taken at the meeting of the National Dairy Council (USK) on November 29, 2021, right after the Food Committee Meeting, the recommended selling price of chilled raw milk was determined as 4 lira and 70 kurush in gross, effective from December 8, 2021.
In the statement of the council; The National Dairy Council will reconvene and decide in case of unforeseen changes in the production cost of raw milk.
4,70 lira, determined by the National Dairy Council (USK) is the gross price. After deducting costs such as collection, cooling, commodity exchange registration fees, the producer will receive approximately 4,41 lira (4 lira and 41 kurush).
The feed prices, for which we are 60 pct foreign-dependent for raw materials and constantly increasing depending on the dollar, have risen so much that the gross price of 4,7 lira determined by the Council, lost its meaning before it was even implemented. Feed prices have soared by 28.6 percent since November and 95.1 percent since January.
The enthusiasm of the producer to continue producing remained grumble in the gizzard…
As of December, the net raw milk price received by the farmer is 4 lira and 41 kurush. Our farmer purchased 1 kg of milk feed for an average of 4 liras and 76 kurush this month. So milk/feed parity was realized as 0.93. In other words, our producers faced a parity well below a parity of 1,5.
Although the radical decisions of our government on foreign currency on 20 December 2021 prompted feed companies to reduce prices, we will see over time how many companies will act this way and how much reduction will occur.
As of today, despite the 35 percent decrease in the exchange rate, we observe that the 11 percent decrease in feed is not enough. Our expectation is that there will be greater decreases in feed prices.
We are currently experiencing unpredictable changes in costs and it is essential that the National Dairy Council reconvene and take new decisions. Raw milk price should be revised as soon as possible according to 1.5 parity.
In addition, the 20 kurush support payment for milk has remained very low. This support should be increased to a level that will both support the producer and prevent tending to informality, that is, at least 60 kurush.
Fuel and energy prices should be reduced to levels that would be advantageous for producers. A system such as the sliding scale system applied in fuel should be implemented also in feed and producers should be prevented from being victimized due to price hikes in feed and deviations from the determined parity. Producers have been discouraged and alienated from production by now.
There is a need for quick steps that will give them hope and confidence. If stabilizing measures cannot be taken for these problems, neither meat and milk will be produced in these lands, nor will these products be consumed cheaply.
It is announced to the public with respect…
