The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Announces Major Support for Farmers
The Minister, Bekir Pakdemirli, has emphasized that maintaining agricultural production during the COVID-19 pandemic is vital for the country’s food security. Ensuring continuity in crop production and a reliable food supply are top priorities, and the Ministry is taking proactive measures. If necessary, all Ministry units and other public institutions will collaborate on initiatives to support agriculture and keep production ongoing.
According to breaking news, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is launching a large-scale support program for farmers. The Ministry has mobilized to bring all cultivable land into production. For summer planting, across 21 provinces the Ministry will provide a grant covering 75% of the seed cost for all fields that can be sown during the season. Minister Bekir Pakdemirli announced that, to prevent interruptions in summer planting, every suitable parcel of cultivable land will be included in the program, and seeds for the designated crops in the 21 provinces will be supplied as a 75% grant to farmers.
75% of Seed Costs to Be Subsidized
Minister Pakdemirli explained that the program will add newly identified cultivable areas to existing production zones. Teams are currently evaluating which areas are suitable for summer planting. For the eligible lands, 75% of the seed cost will be covered by the Ministry as a grant, while farmers will be responsible for the remaining 25%.
Distribution of season-appropriate seeds to farmers has already begun, and the program is underway across the 21 provinces. The crops planned for planting under this program include:
- Barley
- Lentils
- Corn
- Wheat
- Dry Beans
- Paddy Rice
- Sunflower
Minister Pakdemirli noted that all distributed seeds are certified, and the total seed volume allocated reaches 6,700 tons. The project covers 364,000 hectares of land, and the first harvest is expected to produce approximately 80,000 tons of crops. The estimated market value of the harvest is around 220 million Turkish Lira, while the Ministry’s seed subsidy expenditure for the program is approximately 20 million Turkish Lira.