More stockbreeding needed to overcome red meat shortage

Speaking at a press conference in Ankara, Yetkin said Turkey produces some 1.97 million tons of red meat annually and the best solution to address the current shortage would be an increase in stockbreeding. Yetkin noted that commencing red meat imports would not be a permanent solution to this problem.

Yetkin’s remarks come on the heels of recent discussions over whether to allow red meat imports, sparked by a growing shortage in the market. Recalling that experience has proven that importing red meat is not a solution, Yetkin said Turkey has suffered a remarkable loss in grazing land due to “past mistakes” in livestock management. “As a result of increasing tension particularly in the eastern region of the country due to terror activities since the mid-1980s, people abandoned huge pastures. Instead of introducing incentives for these people to return to stockbreeding, the state opted to turn to red meat imports. This, however, brought unhealthy meat, most of which was also carrying disease, to the country’s markets.”

According to Yetkin, the government could prevent the slaughter of breeding animals and encourage the consumption of relatively older sheep and cattle. He also noted that the government should support the establishment of new farms.

Discussing the current status of the state-owned Meat and Fish Institution’s (EBK), Yetkin criticized the recent privatization of the institution and called for more control over the market. “We will be able re-establish balance in the red meat market provided that the EBK retains the authority to regulate the market.”

Touching upon recent discussions over possible increases in poultry prices as a result of the Russian government’s desire to increase its poultry imports from Turkey to 500,000 tons annually, Yetkin said he was afraid there would be price increases. Recalling that Turkey produces some 1.24 million tons of poultry annually, he said exporting 500,000 tons -- almost half of the country’s annual production -- would “cause some problems in the domestic market.” In a separate comment on the issue last week, Foreign Trade Minister Zafer Çağlayan had said poultry prices would not rise “since investments in the sector will go up in line with demand.”