CHP’s Gürer: ‘We are forced to import livestock’

Republican People’s Party (CHP) Niğde Deputy Ömer Fethi Gürer showed the decrease in animal population as the reason for the results of this negative situation, which is also reflected in the shelf prices of meat and milk and meat and dairy products in our country, where the number of live animals is constantly decreasing.

In his statement, CHP Deputy Ömer Fethi Gürer reminded the speeches of the past Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry in which they stated that they would end animal imports in 2023.

Minister of Commerce Ömer Bolat pointed out that the figures he gave were worrying. He stated that there was a significant increase in animal imports again this year.

ANIMAL PRESENCE IS CONSTANTLY DECREASING

CHP Niğde Deputy Ömer Fethi Gürer pointed out that as feed prices increased and barn expenses increased, small family-type businesses sold their animals, and although they warned the government, the necessary precautions were not taken and eventually a solution was sought through imports.

Reminding that female cows, pregnant cows and heifers were sent to slaughter while the animal population decreased, CHP Deputy Ömer Fethi Gürer said, “According to TÜİK data, the cattle population, which was 17 million 876 thousand in 2023, decreased to 16 million 667 thousand today. “Similarly, the number of small cattle, which was 58 million, decreased to 53 million,” he said.

AS ANIMAL PRESENCE DECREASES, SHELF PRICES OF MEAT AND DAIRY PRODUCTS INCREASE

CHP Deputy Ömer Fethi Gürer pointed out that while pre-election meat prices were kept low during the period when animals went for sale, the decrease in animal abundance brought about a decrease in meat production, and pointed out that the shelf prices of meat and dairy products increased during this period. “The future will be more problematic,” he said.

MEAT PRODUCTION IS DECREASING

Stating that in the Presidential 2024 budget justification, meat production was 1 million 827 thousand tons, compared to 1 million 954 thousand tons planned in 2023, CHP Deputy Ömer Fethi Gürer said, “The target for 2024 is 1 million 727 thousand, the estimated target for 2025 is 1 million 764 thousand and the estimated target for 2026 is It was announced as 1 million 788 thousand. “In light of this data, it seems that meat production is gradually decreasing,” he said.

“THEY SAID WE WOULD END IMPORTS, THEY IMPORTED 882 THOUSAND HEAD ANIMALS IN JUST 10 MONTHS”

CHP Niğde Deputy Ömer Fethi Gürer asked the Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat during the budget negotiations to explain how many live animals and how much meat were imported in the first ten months of this year.

Gürer said, “How much foreign currency went abroad? Who are importing this? It would be beneficial for these to be known to the public. How much customs duty was waived in 2022 and 2023 by zeroing the customs duty? What is the distribution of the number of imported food product types by country this year? Although the aim is to balance the prices of imported products, why is it not prevented from being placed on the shelves as being more expensive than the domestic product?” he asked the questions.

In his answer to the question, Minister Bolat said, “Our live animal imports amounted to 682,331 thousand heads ($864 million) in the first ten months of 2023, and our meat imports amounted to 26,954 tons ($181 million) in the same period. In live animal imports, customs duty is imposed at the rate of 0% for breeding cattle and sheep, 26 percent for cattle for slaughter, and 40 percent and 135 percent for sheep and goats, respectively. As for meat imports, a customs duty of 40 percent is applied for carcass meat imports, 100 percent for sheep and 225 percent for boneless meat imports. On the other hand, live animal and meat imports are subject to control in terms of human health and safety and animal and plant existence and health in accordance with the Communiqué on Import Control of Products Subject to Control of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (Product Safety and Control: 2023/5). said.

“TURKEY’S IMPORT OF ANIMALS IS THINKING”

CHHP Deputy Ömer Fethi Gürer also mentioned that it is thought-provoking that Turkey imports live animals and meat from abroad, despite having the characteristics to raise animals of a self-sufficient size, and said, “The political government watched while female cows were being slaughtered. Relatively speaking, meat prices seemed low that day, but after that the animal population decreased. “Since the animal imported today will give birth within 2 years, the animal wealth deficit in Turkey will continue for at least 2 years, and then, if a solution is sought through imports, the poor will come to a point where they cannot even access meat and dairy products,” he said.

STABLES ARE BEING emptied in ANATOLIA

CHP Deputy Ömer Fethi Gürer stated that small family-type enterprises with 1 to 10 head of livestock have started to withdraw from animal husbandry due to the increase in feed prices and stable costs, and that the barns in Anatolia are now empty, and said, “For this reason, we are forced to import again.”

“FEED PRICES SHOULD BE REDUCED”

CHP Niğde Deputy Ömer Fethi Gürer also listed his suggestions for solving the problem. Gürer said, “If feed prices are reduced, subsidized, barn expenses are reduced, farmers are provided with the necessary support, and the milk produced by the producer is purchased at its value, these problems will not occur.”

PRODUCERS ARE QUITTING ANIMAL HUSBANDRY BECAUSE THEY CANNOT MEAN THEIR EXPENSES

CHP Deputy Ömer Fethi Gürer said, “Livestock farming is a difficult profession; It involves work that must be continued 24 hours a day. There are barn maintenance, veterinary services, diesel and electricity expenses. But when they cannot get the money they paid in return, they give up animal husbandry. And as the Minister stated, we have to import 682 thousand 331 head of animals in 10 months… If calf deaths were prevented, animal diseases and casualties were prevented, and feed prices were reduced, we would not have to import 1 billion 45 million dollars of animals and meat. “Local breeders and producers should have been supported instead of relying on imports,” he said.