Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı said that 95 percent of the food need is met from the soil and that the Ministry is trying to use the soil more efficiently.
Minister Yumaklı stated that the General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies (TAGEM) has so far developed 953 seeds for field crops and 1,27 seeds for horticultural crops.
Pointing out that an important point has been reached in the production of certified seeds, Yumaklı said, “97 per cent of the certified seeds produced in our country are obtained from seeds in these lands. We also export seeds to 97 countries. While doing this, we protect our local seeds and use them in breeding studies. We have registered 37 ancestral (heirloom) seeds so far. Currently, our institutes are examining 313 local varieties. Whether they are ancestor seeds or not is determined after a long process and observation. Then they are certified. From time to time, we see false news about ancestor seeds.”
“There is no such thing as a ban on the production of our ancestor seeds or the sale of our certified and registered ancestor seeds,” Yumaklı added…