After 150 thousand livestock imports, now the button has been pressed for the importation of 15 thousand butchery animals. Although the import of butchery animals is seen as a major blow to domestic production, it is noted that Minister Kirişci gave consent to the import of butchery animals due to the Directorate General of Meat and Milk Board (ESK)’s warning that "meat crisis may occur during the election process".
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is preparing to deal a second blow to the breeder in animal husbandry. It has been revealed that the Ministry has now started work for butchery animals after importing 300 thousand livestock. It is noteworthy that the work on the importation of butchery animals is carried out secretly for now. The claim of the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Vahit Kirişci, that he will not be an "importer minister" is gradually losing its meaning.
While Turkey was importing sugar 24 years later, Vahit Kirişci made history as the first minister of agriculture to import sugar during the Justice and Development Party (AKP) governments. The promises made in the past period in animal husbandry were also made in the Kirişci period. The import gates started to open again. Despite the so-called promise of 2022 as a year when Turkey will end the importation of livestock, the doors have been opened for the import of 150 thousand livestock in recent months. It turned out that the Ministry has now started a new study for the import of butchery animals.
BUTCHERY ANIMAL IMPORT IS SEEN AS THE BIGGEST BLOW TO DOMESTIC PRODUCTION!
The animals imported for butchery are directly slaughtered without being subjected to any production and the meat is put on the market, thus directly affecting the domestic production and the domestic producer. For this reason, although the import of livestock is viewed positively in the livestock sector, the importation of butchery animals is definitely opposed. For this reason, butchery animal imports are preferred only in times of crisis in the livestock sector, and in other periods, it is not preferred because of the damage it will cause to domestic production.
THE WARNING “WE MAY EXPERIENCE A MEAT CRISIS IN THE ELECTION PROCESS” WAS EFFECTIVE!
According to the information received from the Ministry sources, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry plans to import 15 thousand of butchery animal in the first plan. While it is noted that the Meat and Dairy Institution (ESK) warned the ministry that Turkey may face a meat crisis in the near future due to the problems in the livestock sector, but that some measures should be taken already, it is stated that Minister Kirişci gave consent to the importation of butchery animals within the scope of these measures. However, it is noted that for now, the work is carried out underhand. It is noted that the ESK’s warning that "we may face a meat crisis during the election process" lies behind Minister Kirişci's warm attitude to butchery animal imports, despite the rhetoric of "I will not be an importer minister."
THE MINISTRY'S WRONG POLICIES HAVE FINISHED BOTH THE FEEDERS AND THE MILK PRODUCER!
As it is known, the fact that carcass slaughter prices do not increase at the same rate despite the increasing feed costs causes the producer to cut his animals to his detriment, while many enterprises had to be withdrawn from production. On the other hand, due to the low prices of raw milk, more than 1 million broodstock went to slaughter, and this had a great blow to calf production. In other words, the wrong policies applied in meat and milk for months brought the livestock sector to the point of extinction. The fact that the Ministry puts the importation of butchery animals on its agenda is shown as the most important indicator of the great crisis in the livestock sector.
THE GREAT CONTRADICTION OF MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE!
It is significant that the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Vahit Kirişci, recently implemented the contracted livestock project to increase the so-called domestic production, while on the other hand, he started working on the importation of butchery animals, which will have a major blow on domestic production.