Semolina
Turkey’s Semolina Export “Our country ranks first in the world in exports of products such as flour, semolina, bulgur, and second in pasta exports.” Aksal, using the expression, therefore, emphasized that wheat imports are in question in addition to the wheat procured from the domestic market in order to ensure this export.
While there was 63.7 million tons of wheat import for 17.5 billion dollars between 2002-2019, 75.7 million tons of wheat and wheat products with a value of 29.9 billion dollars are calculated when the wheat equivalent of finished products such as flour, pasta, bulgur, semolina and biscuits is calculated. Pointing out that it is an export, Aksal gave the following information:
“This means that between 2002 and 2019, our country earned a net income of 12.5 billion dollars from the said trade. In our country, the support policies of our Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and TMO purchases are the two most important factors that motivate our producers. The purchase prices announced by TMO constitute a lower threshold in the market of the products to be purchased and guarantee the minimum level for the income of our producers. As a matter of fact, thanks to the policies we have implemented together with our successful Ministry in recent years, our lost cultivation areas have started to come back. Successful policies in wheat, corn, barley and pulses bear fruit and our production is increasing. Our Ministry increased the fertilizer support by 100 percent from 4 kurus to 8 liras per decare. Premium support was increased from 50 lira to 100 lira per ton, by increasing 100 percent in barley and wheat.”
Increased support for the manufacturer
Aksal, President of KEFEK, pointed out that the total grain production increased by 8 percent compared to the previous year and reached 37.1 million tons, and the total wheat production increased by 8 percent to 20.5 million tons in 2020, thanks to the support provided and the efforts of the producers. It showed that it stands by our producers by announcing the wheat purchase prices in May with an increase of 22 percent in bread wheat and 24% in durum wheat compared to the previous year, which is above the inflation rate. TMO had made an annual increase of 29 percent in wheat purchase prices in the previous year. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic worldwide, there has been an intense increase in the demand for basic food products in our country in the past period, and this has increased the demand for TMO stocks. he said.
Noting that the cereals and pulses sector in Turkey is one of the sectors least affected by the pandemic process, Aksal stated that TMO continues its uninterrupted supply of products to the markets by reinforcing its stocks, which it has created through domestic purchases, during the season with foreign purchases
