NEW Party member Sencer Solakoğlu calls for Minister Yumaklı to resign: 'The Ministry of Agriculture is sleeping'

NEW Party Agricultural Policies Board Chairman Sencer Solakoğlu made statements about the problems experienced in the agricultural sector at the press conference held at his party's Mersin Provincial Directorate.

Stating that he met with lemon and persimmon producers in Mersin, Solakoğlu said that the producers are in a difficult situation due to increasing costs and low sales prices.

"1 LIRA IN A LEMON BRANCH, 43 LIRA IN THE MARKET"

Stating that in Türkiye, early lemons are bought from the producer for 1 lira and sold in the market for 43 lira, Solakoğlu stated that in Spain, 21.5 lira of the 43 lira sales price of the same product is left to the producer.

Stating that the problems experienced in agriculture are not limited to certain products, Solakoğlu said:

"Just lemon, only tangerine, only persimmon, only olives, cotton, hazelnuts, whatever comes, meat, milk, peach, apricot, it doesn't matter what it is about, there is a fire everywhere. If there is a problem with a product in a country, it can be said that it is sector-specific or product-related. If there is a fire in every product in a country, this is clear evidence of lack of planning and management."

"MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE IS SLEEPING"

Stating that lemon producers have started to turn to different products by cutting down the trees on which they have worked for years, Solakoğlu stated that olive producers are also experiencing uncertainty about the future.

Arguing that the warnings made by the producers months ago were not taken into consideration, Solakoğlu said, "The Ministry of Agriculture is sleeping. It does not care. It is trying to manage agriculture with perception. They cannot do that either."

"THE FARMER SHOULD KNOW IN ADVANCE HOW MUCH HE WILL SELL HIS PRODUCT"

Emphasizing the need to switch to a planned production model in agriculture, Solakoğlu said that farmers should know at what price, to whom and when they will sell their products before planting.

Stating that if they come to power, they will create a system based on the State Planning Organization model, Solakoğlu said, "All our farmers will be able to see the future. Are the prices bad? They do not plant. I am a farmer. Why should I plant when I know that I will make a loss?" he said.

Claiming that buyers, not producers, are effective in determining milk prices, Solakoğlu noted that they are carrying out legislative studies to change the current system.

CALL FOR MINISTER YUMAKLI TO RESIGN

Criticizing the policies of Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı with harsh words, Solakoğlu demanded that the minister resign from his post.

Solakoğlu used the following statements:

"If we were living in a normal country, I would call on the Ministry of Agriculture to resign, but it is forbidden for him to resign. He cannot do that either. He can ask for his pardon, go and ask the President for pardon, he can even get down on his knees. If he wants, as long as he gets rid of us."

Solakoğlu, who also criticized the period of former Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bekir Pakdemirli, argued that the problems grew even more during the Yumaklı period and concluded his words as follows:

"I demand that he resign immediately, and if possible, that the entire government resign and that new elections be held."