The destruction is very heavy, the food crisis is at the door

While the humanitarian and economic balance of the destruction experienced in the 10 provinces affected by the earthquake begins to take shape, the future of farmers and production is also seriously endangered in the region where an important part of agricultural land is located. It is noted that the region makes about 20 percent of Turkey’s herb production, while 270 thousand registered companies and farmers are waiting for urgent help.

While there was information on social media that producers have started selling their animal assets free of charge, industry officials stressed that agricultural production is in jeopardy and the food crisis is at the door.

GET CASH SUPPORT

Noting that farmers are trying to continue production in Hatay where the great destruction took place, Antakya Chamber of Agriculture Chairman Mehmet Muzaffer Okay said: “There are many problems in agriculture in the countryside. Cash grants have not yet been credited to the accounts. They wait. At least the farmer will get out of town, he will get his fertilizer, he will have a payment, the house needs money, there is no money, what will he do? We need animal feed, we need cash, we need fertilizer,” he said.

Noting that support payments, which are also valid in normal times, should be made to farmers as soon as possible, Okay said, “It is even very important to pay cash to those in the earthquake zone. It was said that only diesel and fertilizers can be deposited in support payments by depositing on the card. This requirement should also be removed. We want cash now. This is the money to which we are entitled. The animals have a shortage of food. It’s compost time, there’s no money, there’s no compost,” he said.

The machines are broken, the cattle are in trouble

Noting that citizens living in rural areas are trying to save the lives of their animals while dealing with the devastating effects of the earthquake, President of the Chamber of Agronomists Baki Remzi Suiçmez said, “The most important effect of the earthquake on rural areas is seen in the field of livestock, in addition to damage to machinery and equipment for crop production. The earthquake will trigger the food crisis. Concrete agricultural and rural development public policies are needed so as not to add the effects of the earthquake to the food crisis and the high food inflation experienced by the wrong agricultural policies, the deepening of the economic crisis, the negative effects of climatic events on production agricultural.

Contributes 1/5 of crop production

While the provinces affected by the earthquake produced 20.9 percent of the country’s agricultural production, 12 percent of grains and other crops, they account for 14.5 percent of the total cultivated agricultural area, 12 percent percent of cattle and 16.3 percent of sheep and goats. According to data from TUIK 2022, there are more than 2 million cattle and more than 9 million sheep and goats in 10 provinces affected by the earthquake, which corresponds to 15 percent of the livestock in this country. The amount of agricultural land in the earthquake area is about 3.7 million hectares, the number of registered farmers is about 270 thousand.