‘AKP imported 118 billion dollars worth of agricultural products in 18 years’

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Orhan Sarıbal, the Bursa MP and the Party Assembly member of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), released a written statement on the occasion on June 7 World Food Safety Day.

Raising concerns that the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government prefers import rather than increasing agricultural products despite all warnings, Sarıbal said, "In the period of 2003 - April 2021, the AKP imported 118 billion dollars worth of agricultural products."

Noting that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has shown how important, strategic and inalienable agriculture and, thus, food is, Sarıbal stated, "Even in this situation, the AKP has not changed this policy and handed over the country's food sovereignty to foreign companies."

Raising concerns that Turkey is in the position of an importer, except for some crops, CHP's Orhan Sarıbal noted, "We break new records in the import of wheat, sunflower and corn every year."

'Turkey has highest food inflation in Europe'

Underlining that Turkey has the highest food inflation among the European countries even though it has the largest agricultural production area in Europe, Sarıbal briefly added the following:

"Our geographical conditions and climate are suitable for production. But, instead of producing, the AKP has prefered importing. As a result of this, our agricultural areas have deteriorated. Our farmers have become poorer and they have stopped doing agriculture.

"This situation has not changed during the current pandemic period, either. Instead of producing agricultural crops, the AKP has prefered setting the customs duties to zero in the import of several agricultural products, primarily wheat, sunflower, corn and barley.

"In fact, as this recent pandemic has also shown, food sovereignty and food safety are among the most important issues for a society and state. Food sovereignty will be the number one policy of countries in the upcoming years. Because food sovereignty and safety cannot be transferred.

"As a matter of fact, the countries where we import agricultural products, including Russia, has been limiting their exports due to the pandemic.

"Our country, which cannot find the money to buy vaccines, will be unable to import agricultural products even if it has the money. Due to the drought that we are experiencing, food inflation will increase even further."

'Access to food and water has become harder'

The unconscious use of pesticides, water pollution, destruction of nature and biodiversity have also put public health at risk, CHP's Orhan Sarıbal warned further, underlining that Turkey must focus on production with a public approach, on its own soil, with its own human resources and with the right planning in order to ensure food sovereignty and food security.

Sarıbal also reminded the public that especially during the period of import of livestock, several animal diseases entered Turkey. (KÖ/SD)