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Press release…
Veysel Memiş, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Mediterranean Cereals, Pulses, Oil Seeds and Products Exporters’ Association (AHBİB), stated that the changes made in the registration application procedures regarding chickpea and red lentil exports will cause irreparable damage to both farmers and exporters and that the decision in question should be reviewed and the way for quota-free exports should be opened.
Veysel Memiş, who noted that a 30 percent increase in yield is expected in both chickpea and red lentil, said: “The Ministry of Trade announced that companies will be allowed to export chickpea exports on a monthly basis from 1 August 2023 to 1 January 2024, up to a maximum of 55 percent of the exports carried out in the same month of the previous year, In the export of red lentils, it was announced that with the Inward Processing Regime (DIR), registration will be given on a monthly basis not exceeding 7.5 percent of the total exports of the companies in the last three years on the basis of quantity and this restriction will be valid until 1 November 2023. We are experiencing an abundant season in chickpea and red lentil production. Although we have expressed our demands for the removal of quotas and restrictions in the export of these products many times, unfortunately, these newly introduced quota and restriction decisions will unfortunately deal a major blow to both our production and exports.”
“The restriction decision will reduce our chickpea exports by 45 percent”
Pointing out that chickpeas produced in Türkiye are in great demand in world markets due to their quality and early product, Memiş also noted that all stakeholders, especially farmers and the export world, demanded that this decision be reviewed.
Indicating that they expect a 30 percent rise in chickpea yield this year compared to last year, that the products started to arrive from the Central Anatolia Region after the Southeastern Anatolia Region and that the yield was within the framework of expectations, Memiş explained, “This latest decision on chickpea exports will reduce our current exports by 45 percent. We are in a period when we have the opportunity to sell the chickpea product at its value. It is very important that we can make good use of this period of time.”
Emphasing that chickpeas called ‘battering ram variety’ are preferred in domestic consumption and that they mainly export 7-8 millimetres and broken chickpeas abroad, Memiş added, “Therefore, since we export small calibre and broken products, this trade will not pose a problem in meeting domestic needs.”
“Red lentil is the most important export product of our region”
AHBİB Chairman Veysel Memiş, who underlined that the last restriction decision in the new season, which saw a 30 percent increase in red lentil yield, will also have a negative impact on farmers and that they will avoid planting this product next season, continued as follows: “Our farmers, industrialists and exporters call our Association and ask for the removal of the obstacles to exports. We have a crop above domestic consumption. Red lentil is the crop that we export the most and earn the most foreign currency to our country. We want to utilise our own product more and we want Turkish products to find more place on the world tables. However, the restriction decision in question will discourage our farmers from planting red lentils in time and will negatively affect our citizens who consume this product at affordable prices in the country. The obstacles to exports should be removed so that both our farmers can be rewarded for their labour and we, the exporters, can bring quality Turkish lentils to the world’s tables more.”
