World Farmers' Day Message from Celal Kadooğlu, GAİB Cereals Chairman

“The Southeast is central to agricultural production and food exports”

On the occasion of World Farmers' Day, I would like to once again emphasize the strategic importance of agriculture for our country and especially for Southeast Anatolia. Our fertile lands have been the heart of agricultural production for centuries, contributing to the livelihood of millions of people, adding flavor to the tables and strength to our economy. Today, with the same mission, it plays a critical role in ensuring our country's food security and increasing its competitiveness in global trade.

Southeastern Anatolia has a central position in Türkiye's agricultural production and food exports. Our region is a leader in the production of many strategic agricultural products, particularly wheat, red lentils and chickpeas. Each of these products not only revitalizes the local economy, but also flies the flag of Turkish agriculture in world markets. Gaziantep and Mardin in particular stand out in global pasta production, bringing the region's agricultural strength to global markets.

Behind this success are, of course, the hard work of our farmers, the ancient agricultural culture of the region and the support provided by our state. Hosting 15 percent of Türkiye's total wheat cultivation, Southeastern Anatolia is also the leader in wheat flour production and exports. According to TUSAF data, 22 percent of Türkiye's flour mills are located in this region, which has a significant share in the global cake with a flour production capacity of 6.7 million tons. This strong production infrastructure is in great demand worldwide, particularly in the Middle East and Africa.

However, the agricultural sector is also exposed to the negative impacts of climate change. From time to time, productivity problems are experienced in our region due to decreases in rainfall and drought. This situation reveals that our farmers need more support to ensure sustainable production. Celebrating its 35th anniversary, the GAP project has made significant contributions in providing water to the agricultural lands in the region, but it is of utmost importance to introduce new technologies that will ensure more efficient use of water resources in the future.

However, increasing demand for quality and sustainability across the world require our producers to turn to more advanced agricultural techniques. Innovative solutions such as smart agricultural practices, water-saving modern irrigation systems and increasing crop diversity will further increase the agricultural potential of not only our region but also our entire country.

As a result, we must continue to work in unity to increase our agricultural production power, ensure the welfare of our farmers and move our country to a stronger position in global agricultural trade. On this occasion, we congratulate all our farmers who contribute to the food security of our country with soil, labor and patience on World Farmers' Day and wish them a prosperous and profitable year.