Türkiye: earthquake impacts agriculture and livestock
There is a saying in Anatolia: “Funerals wait, milk does not.” The animals need to be provided with water and fodder and milked around the clock. The earthquake-hit area is a major livestock breeding region in Türkiye’s economy.
According to the information provided by agriculture expert journalist Ali Ekber Yıldırım, the presence of bovine animals in the region is 12 percent and the presence of ovine animals is 16.3 percent compared to the country as a whole. These rates are serious for the country’s livestock sector. The meat, milk and dairy sector was already in crisis, and now we are on the brink of an even bigger crisis, the livestock sector in the earthquake zone is in serious trouble. Both the production facilities and the rural people who make a living from animal husbandry have suffered great damage.
Mr. Sencer Solakoğlu, President of All Milk, Meat and Cattle Breeders’ Association (TÜSEDAD), announced that they have started an action on urgent milk purchase. At the same time, support will be given to those in need in terms of feed supply, and animals that need to be slaughtered will be helped in being slaughtered and the meat saved. But of course, these are the immediate actions. A serious re-planning and aid to livestock breeding, and especially to the communities that are sustained in the sector has to put in to action, as quickly as possible.
The other agricultural products important for the region
Among the earthquake-hit provinces, there are several world-renowned products special to the region. Malatya is the apricot capital of the world, not to mention the reputation of its luscious cherries. Both being special varieties, have geographical indication to the region. Starting from Kahramanmaraş and going down towards Gaziantep, Urfa and Antakya, the entire region is famed for its various kinds of red peppers, which are used in numerous ways from sweet or red-hot pepper paste to chili flakes or powdered red pepper. Pistachios grown in Gaziantep and Urfa is the backbone of sweets, the confectionary and patisserie sector, and Osmaniye is the center of peanuts in the country.
Olive groves are also an important value of the region, especially down from Barak plain towards Kilis, and in Antakya, all along the Syrian border. Adana is famed for its cotton production, vital for the textile industry, and famed for its citrus groves. Actually, there was an urgent call for picking lemons there, vital for the blooming of the new seasons’ flowers. Vineyards are a common value for all provinces, indigenous grape varieties are either consumed as fresh fruit, or dried, or turned into molasses, grape juice leather and sweetmeat varieties. In recent years, the small vineyards were flourishing producing exciting natural wines from local grape varieties. In addition to wheat and other cereal crops, the cultivation of fodder and silage crops for livestock is also an important agricultural activity in the region.
Men power is an important issue as harvest starts soon
Spring will eventually come, and the agricultural season will begin. It will be harvest time for all agricultural products identified with their cities. The geography affected by the earthquake accounts for almost 20 percent of Türkiye’s agriculture. Seasonal migrant workers have been used for all these agricultural activities such as fruit picking and harvesting for years. Most of these were either refugees or seasonal workers from other areas. Now the local agricultural population in the region has been largely displaced. When agricultural activities restart in the region, the local population, if they are still in the region or will return for the harvest, will have to live in temporary conditions, that is, in makeshift tents or container housings. In a way they will be like migrant seasonal workers in their very homeland.
Daily News, Article of: Aylin Öney Tan