Kacır: We Issued Incentive Certificates for 8,589 Investments in Food Product Manufacturing

Foreks - Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır stated that they have made the food industry one of the leading sectors in Turkey's development journey, saying, "Since 2002, we have issued incentive certificates for 8,589 investments in food product manufacturing. We have opened the door for 708 billion lira in investment and 252,000 qualified employment."

Kacır expressed his full belief that the food sector will write new success stories in the coming period, stating, "In line with our National Technology Initiative vision, our primary goals are to prioritize R&D-focused production in the food sector and to advance our sector's innovative and competitive production infrastructure step by step."

Minister Kacır attended the "Sustainable Food Summit" organized by the Turkish Food Industry Employers' Union. In his speech there, he expressed that the issue of food supply and security continues to hold significant importance on the agendas of countries today, just as it did in the past. He noted that climate crises, pandemics, global migration, and regional wars have made agriculture and food sectors irreplaceable for all countries, regardless of their level of development, and that they have shaped agricultural and food industry policies accordingly, implementing planned practices that meet the needs of the sector. Kacır highlighted that they ensure the conversion of Turkey's high agricultural potential into economic value for farmers, entrepreneurs, and workers.

FOOD INDUSTRY SUPPORT: "With the multifaceted support we provide, we ensure that our food industry, which plays a critical role in food security, remains one of the leading sectors in our country's development journey. With this understanding, since 2002, we have issued incentive certificates for 8,589 investments in food product manufacturing. We have opened the door for 708 billion lira in investment and 252,000 qualified employment."

FOOD SPECIALIZED OSBs: "As a result of our steps to ensure that our food industry production takes place in environmentally friendly, sustainable, and fully developed investment areas; our entrepreneurs are performing food product manufacturing in 203 organized industrial zones, including 11 'Food Specialized Organized Industrial Zones.' These businesses operating in our OSBs provide employment for 187,000 people. I firmly believe that our sector, which achieved 18.9 billion dollars in exports last year, will write new success stories in the upcoming period."

MERSIN AGROPARK: "In line with our National Technology Initiative vision, our primary goals are to prioritize R&D-focused production in the food sector and to gradually advance our sector's innovative and competitive production infrastructure. We support 61 R&D centers leading the transformation of our food sector towards technology and innovation, as well as 174 technology initiatives within our technoparks. We have established Mersin Agropark, the first technopark in Turkey specialized in agriculture and food sectors. We desire to see more technology initiatives emerging in our country in agriculture and food technologies."

TUGIP: "We jointly established the Turkey Food Innovation Platform (TÜGİP), which encompasses all stakeholders in the food and beverage sector, with the aim of increasing the regional competitiveness of the food industry through the establishment of Research and Innovation Facilities (INNOFOOD), the largest food R&D and innovation project in Turkey, supported by the European Union (EU). We have activated our Food Innovation Center as a solution partner for the food and beverage sector in Gebze, at the TÜBİTAK MAM campus."

THE PROJECT IN ANATOLIA: "In Gaziantep, a leading province in the food industry and project partner, we have commissioned a pilot-scale pistachio production facility, as well as food testing and analysis laboratories in Şanlıurfa and Giresun. By providing 2.6 billion lira in support for 773 projects conducted by our Development Agencies targeting the food sector, we have strengthened the sustainability of our food supply. With our 'Anatolia Project,' which reveals the important values of our geography, we aim to connect our hidden treasures with our country and the world."

HIGH FOOD INDUSTRY INVESTMENTS: "We are bringing the fertility of our lands, the accumulation of our culinary culture, and the diversity and richness it deserves into economic value. Through projects that prioritize social benefits, continuity, and sustainability; we are paving the way for our agricultural and food sectors, and our producers. With the Local Development Initiative Support Program, the details of which we will share with the public soon, we will support projects that will ensure future generations have access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food, transform our local agricultural products into high value-added food industry investments in the value chain, and contribute to prosperity."

1658 REGISTERED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS: "We aim to ensure that our local values and regional products become synonymous with the region or city they are produced in. We have a great treasure with 1,658 registered geographical indication products. One of our priorities in the upcoming period is to ensure that our geographical indications, which have also been registered by the European Union, create higher added value for our country's producers and industrialists. To achieve this, we should establish a mechanism that will allow us to track the quality chain from end to end."

ZERO FOOD WASTE GOAL: "Today, one-fifth of the food produced for human consumption is wasted, while one in nine people worldwide is struggling with hunger. Research indicates that the total cost of food loss and waste reaches 1 trillion dollars for the global economy. To change this unjust situation, we are taking initiatives both within our national borders and in the international arena with the spirit of mobilization, in line with our 'Zero Food Loss' goal."

HUMANITARIAN AID PROJECTS: "Under the leadership of our President, we have implemented many projects that will guarantee the water and food security of our country. We have also conducted exemplary development and humanitarian aid projects to ensure that millions of people living in regions facing hunger have access to food and water. We will continue to support every step our food sector takes to promote innovation and prevent food waste in the sustainable development of our country."

ZERO WASTE IN FOOD: "To increase our domestic production capacity of food additives, auxiliary materials, and packaging used in the food industry, to reduce foreign dependence; to support activities such as licensed warehousing in the supply chain; to create targeted agriculture and food R&D-Innovation programs; to contribute to the transition to the foods of the future in the agriculture and food sector, to trigger the establishment of Research Infrastructures for open-access prototype development aimed at R&D activities for the development of innovative food products; to strengthen storage and logistics infrastructure; to produce agricultural and food industry machinery with quality and high standards using local means; to promote advanced technologies such as Smart Agriculture, Precision Agriculture, and Digital Applications in Agriculture; and ultimately, to increase our exports with high value-added products that possess strong promotional activities, market diversity and size, high-quality standards, good market infrastructure, and sustainability. We must work together more diligently for the reduction of food losses; to minimize production losses that occur during primary production; to reduce losses in storage and logistics phases due to unutilized production capacity; and to strive for the assessment of by-products or residues generated in food production phases with the aim of achieving the goal of Zero Waste, Zero Waste in Food."