Mustafa Kayhan, General Manager of Meat and Dairy Institution, said that they have implemented the works they have carried out to intervene in the recently increased red meat prices.
Emphasizing that they substituted products in the red meat market through the IHC, Kayhan stated that they provided products to industrialists and retailers.
Kayhan pointed out that measures should be taken in the medium term, and said that it is necessary to ensure the integration of producers and industrialists, and that it is important to expand contracted livestock farming.
“We will establish fattening farms with an average of 20 thousand head of animals”
Pointing out that one of their medium-term targets is live stock management, Kayhan stated that they will establish cattle farms in every region of Turkey close to the IHC combines.
Kayhan gave the following information:
“We aim to establish livestock farms in a few regions of Turkey that we own, especially in areas close to big cities. We have to do the live stock planning either by expanding contracted production or by creating livestock farms. We will establish livestock farms with an average of 20 thousand head. For example, we have at least 100 thousand heads.” When we have live stock, we will be able to balance the price by supplying a large amount of goods to the market as soon as the price starts to rise. This farm building project will be invested in the near future, we have prepared projects in several cities. We will definitely enter this live stock business by renting out idle farms. Our priority here is to procure animals from within.”
“Price balancing should be done to increase the welfare of milk producers”
Expressing that livestock breeding should be developed in rural areas where pasture areas are large, Kayhan stated that a price policy that will increase the welfare of milk producers is important for the sector. Kayhan noted that when these are provided, the meat problem will be largely eliminated.
Pointing out that the supply-demand balance deteriorates in some periods, Kayhan said, “Periods such as pandemics or droughts disrupt the balance. Here, when this balance is disturbed, people quit this job when they lose their income. There is a serious migration from the countryside to the cities.” used the phrases.
Pointing out that they determine strategies by constantly measuring the market, Kayhan stated that they measure the supply gap in the market and take measures accordingly.
Kayhan emphasized that animal and carcass meats are substituted in the market in a way that will not cause the producer’s detriment, that this will not be continuous and it is a transitional period. Pointing out that the process from the farm where the animals brought from abroad is raised to the slaughter is followed by the IHC, Kayhan stated that there are speculative price increases due to the restriction of supply with the expectation that prices will rise. Kayhan stated that such price increases are followed by the relevant institutions.
Small-scale red meat producers will be supported
Noting that an average of 5 million cattle are slaughtered annually in the country, Kayhan said:
“2 million of this is produced from high quality beef calves. “While the share of breeders with under 100 head of animals in Turkey should be over 50 percent, we are now faced with the opposite picture. This is the problem. Businesses coming from outside the sector mainly tie imported beef cattle and do not breed when it is not available.”
Explaining that there is a need for sustainable livestock breeding in Turkey, Kayhan said, “We aim to reduce the share of the big ones in the market volume, even integrate the big ones with the institution and direct them to production, and support small and medium-sized enterprises and increase their share in production. This is a structure that is more resistant to market fluctuations. ” said.
Kayhan stated that the loss of income of small businesses should not be tolerated and stated that the key to preventing the fluctuation of the market is small family businesses.
