Agricultural Support Reaches 100 Billion TL – Statement by Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı

The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, İbrahim Yumaklı, visited Kastamonu to participate in the AK Party Provincial Advisory Council Meeting. The meeting, held at the Public Education Center, was attended by AK Party Kastamonu members of parliament Fatma Serap Ekmekci and Halil Uluay, AK Party Kastamonu Provincial Chairman Ahmet Sevgilioğlu, various party officials, mayors, and many party members.

In his speech, Minister Yumaklı encouraged participants to take a journey through Turkey’s history, stating, “This journey is for Turkey’s justice, development, and stability. Where we came from and where we are now — you are the heroes of this journey, and our captain is our leader, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, recognized by the world.”

“Agricultural Support Reaches 100 Billion TL”

While providing information on agricultural production, Minister Yumaklı said, “The agricultural output is currently 1.6 trillion lira, up from approximately 972 billion lira. The agricultural support provided before the AK Party government was only around 2 billion lira, while today, it has reached 100 billion TL. You can make this comparison yourself. We have supported our farmers and increased our production. Agricultural exports have risen from 4 billion dollars to 32 billion dollars and are expected to reach 35 billion dollars this year. We have achieved numerous successes in production records. Now, our biggest competitor is ourselves. We have begun working on new records. Since I took office, I have been leading these projects. In the last 1-2 years, we have made revolutionary changes related to Turkey’s agenda. Production planning is a matter that directly affects all our lives. Food is an indispensable need. Therefore, we must do better planning, use technology effectively, and produce higher quality and more efficient output. As a ministry, we are ensuring this. For livestock and aquatic production, we will transition to production planning starting this year; for other plant production, we will begin next month. The issue of crops planted by color will hopefully be removed from our agenda,” he stated.

“The State Will Not Seize Lands”

Regarding allegations that the state would seize citizens’ lands, Yumaklı said, “We have been discussing the lease of uncultivated lands for two years. We have made our legal arrangements, but some still try to slander the state by saying, ‘The state will seize lands.’ First, read the details. It is not right to speculate without accurate information. This mentality is ingrained in their DNA. In an environment where people question why their fields are left empty, we have created a roadmap in consultation with the sector. We say, ‘If you do not cultivate your land, we will first send you a message and then lease it to someone else.’ Where is the appropriation of lands in this? We are facing a mentality that does not even read on such a simple issue,” he remarked.

“Lies Cannot Hinder Public Service”

Minister Yumaklı commented on false reports related to the resignation of the Minister of Treasury and Finance, Mehmet Şimşek, saying, “Yesterday, false news was spread about one of our ministers. Prior to that false news, we discussed our upcoming activities in Ahlat with our minister. We will continue to work to serve the public without fear or embarrassment. We carry this honor in our hearts. We will always work tirelessly for this nation.”

“Significant Investments Made in Kastamonu”

Sharing information about investments in Kastamonu, Minister Yumaklı stated, “The total investments made by the State Water Works in Kastamonu amount to 22 billion TL. During this period, over 124 facilities have been put into operation. This is a forest city, and approximately 3 billion lira has been invested. These efforts are ongoing. Whatever we do for Kastamonu is never enough,” he expressed.

Meaningful Gift for Minister Yumaklı

After the speech, the program came to a close. At the conclusion, AK Party Provincial Chairman Ahmet Sevgilioğlu presented Minister Yumaklı with a certificate indicating that they had covered the expenses of an orphan for six months. Yumaklı stated that he would cover all of the orphan’s needs from his salary until the child could stand on their own two feet.