Minister Bolat: 682 thousand 331 head of animals were imported in 10 months
Answering the question of CHP Niğde Deputy Ömer Fethi Gürer, Minister of Commerce Ömer Bolat announced that 682 thousand 331 head of animals were imported in the first 10 months of this year. He reminded me of the statements of the previous Ministers of Agriculture and Forestry, “We will end animal imports in 2023.”
Republican People’s Party (CHP) Niğde Deputy Ömer Fethi Gürer showed the decrease in animal existence as the reason for the results of this negative situation, which is reflected in the shelf prices of meat and milk and meat and dairy products in our country, where the existence of live animals is constantly decreasing.
In his statement, Gürer reminded the speeches of the previous 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
Gürer pointed out that as feed prices increased and barn costs increased, small family-type businesses sold their animals, and despite warning the government, the necessary precautions were not taken and eventually a solution was sought through imports. Ömer Fethi Gürer, reminding that female cows, pregnant cows and heifers are sent to slaughter while the animal population decreases, said: “According to TÜİK data, the cattle population, which was 17 million 876 thousand in 2023, decreased to 16 thousand 667 thousand today. “Similarly, the number of small cattle, which was 58 million, decreased to 53 million,” he said.
Stating that in the 2024 budget justification of the Presidency, meat production was 1 million 827 thousand tons, compared to 1 million 954 thousand tons planned in 2023, 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 1 million 788 thousand.” It was announced as. “In light of this data, it seems that meat production is gradually decreasing,” he said.
THEY SAID WE WILL END IMPORTS…
CHP’s Gürer asked Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat during the Budget negotiations to explain how much 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 appearing on the shelves as being more expensive than the domestic product? asked questions.
682 THOUSAND 331 HEAD ANIMAL IMPORTED IN 10 MONTHS
Minister Bolat answered the question posed to him in writing as follows:
“Our live animal imports will reach 682 thousand 331 heads (864 million animals) in the first ten months of 2023. dollar), our meat imports amounted to 26 thousand 954 tons (181 million dollars) in the same period. In live animal imports, customs duty is imposed at the rate of 0 percent 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, 100 percent for sheep, and 225 percent for boneless meat imports.
*On the other hand, live animal and meat imports Ministry of Agriculture and ForestryIn accordance with the Communiqué on Import Control of Products Subject to Control (Product Safety and Control: 2023/5), they are subject to control in terms of human health and safety and animal and plant existence and health.”
‘TURKEY’S IMPORT OF ANIMALS IS THOUGHTFUL’
Gürer also mentioned that it is thought-provoking that Turkey imports live animals and meat from abroad, despite having the characteristics to raise self-sufficient animals, and said, “The political power 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 livestock shortage in Turkey will continue for at least 2 years, and even if a solution is sought through imports, the situation will come to a point where the poor and the poor cannot even access meat and dairy products.” he said.
