Pakdemirli: 24 Billion Lira Agricultural Support Payment will be Made in 2021

Pakdemirli: 24 Billion Lira Agricultural Support Payment will be Made in 2021 Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bekir Pakdemirli said, “In 2021, 24 billion lira of agricultural support payment will be made.” Publishing a new year message, Minister Pakdemirli stated that agriculture has grown this year despite the coronavirus (Covid-19) epidemic and that there are no problems with food stocks and market shelves across the country. Emphasizing that this success is the success of the farmers and the producers, Pakdemirli said, “Our agriculture sector has grown every quarter of 2020. The agricultural sector has grown 5.3 percent in the first 3 quarters average, making a significant contribution to our economy.” Minister Pakdemirli stated that they believe that they will close the year 2021 with a significant growth in agriculture, and stated that in 9 months of this year, agricultural output increased by 20 percent compared to the same period of last year, and exports of agricultural and food products increased by 5 percent compared to the same period of the previous year.   Zero Food Shortages During the Epidemic Process Pakdemirli, underlining that significant challenges in the food area was experienced during several countries the epidemic, farmers and manufacturers continue to work with measures taken in Turkey, said that these efforts result in 83 million citizens to live without distress. Stating that records were broken during the coronavirus outbreak, Minister Pakdemirli continued as follows: “In our country, plant production has reached 124 million tons this year with an increase of 7 million tons compared to 2019, and the record in the history of the Republic was broken. In animal based production, according to the data of the first 6 months of 2020; our bovine stock increased by 800 thousand heads compared to the previous year. Our small ruminant assets per million head increased to 55.1 million head with an increase of 6.6 million. We achieved the highest increase in the amount in the last 80 years with an increase of 6.6 million in sheep and goats, we rank first in the European Union.  We rank second in cattle.”   24 Billion Lira Agricultural Support Will Be Made In 2021 Minister Pakdemirli stated that they attach great importance to agricultural supports in order to increase productivity in agriculture and direct production correctly and said: “In 2020, we increased the amount of agricultural support to 22 billion liras with a 37 percent increase compared to 2019. In 2021, we will pay a total of 24 billion lira agricultural support to our farmers.”