Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumaklı stated that no product returned to Turkey for any reason can be sold on the domestic market. Speaking on NTV, Yumaklı announced that inspections related to excessive prices are ongoing.

Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumaklı is answering questions on a live broadcast on NTV. Here are the highlights of Minister Yumaklı’s statements:

FIGHTING AGAINST EXORBITANT PRICES

As three ministries, we closely monitor price movements in the market. We are not questioning anyone’s reasonable profit, the issue at hand is excessive pricing… If a product that costs 1 lira to produce is offered to consumers for 10 lira, there is a problem. Last month, we held a meeting with all food retailers in Turkey as well as the institutions responsible for regulating. We are on the field, including those institutions required to fulfill regulatory duties.

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS IN MEAT

There is no price increase in our country related to the supply of red meat. There have been speculative attempts to increase prices. The Meat and Milk Institution fulfills our market regulation duties. Excessive pricing is not an acceptable issue for our government and ministries. It will be continuously monitored, not limited to a certain period.

COMBATING COUNTERFEIT PRODUCTS AND ADULTERATION

More than 8,000 of our colleagues are in the field, continuing inspections. The number of inspections has reached 1.3 million, approximately 1.5 billion lira in administrative fines have been imposed, and reports have been filed against more than 600 companies.

PESTICIDE ISSUE IN FOOD

No product returned to Turkey for any reason can be sold on the domestic market. Everyone should turn a blind eye for this to happen. The returned products are destroyed before passing through customs. Pesticide use has become somewhat mandatory recently, and everyone in the world is using it. The use of pesticides in European countries is much higher than in Turkey. In Turkey, there is 2.3 kilograms, while in European countries there is 3.2 kilograms of pesticide use.

Not only products exported are inspected, but inspections for pesticides are also conducted at the production sites, packaging facilities, and markets. If there are any loopholes, we evaluate all reports that come to us thanks to the awareness of our consumers.

I want to emphasize that the perception that “it is served to our consumption” is incorrect.

HOW DID THE RAINS AFFECT THE DAMS?

We experienced a weak period in terms of rainfall in the winter season, the impact of the last 15 days will be evident. However, it is not possible to determine the effect on dams from today; we will see the benefits between March and June.