The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Vahit Kirişci Sunday praised the efforts of Turkish people in assisting those affected by the recent earthquake that hit Türkiye’s southeast and assured them that the country would overcome the challenges together.
Two massive earthquakes on Feb. 6 leveled tens of thousands of buildings and displaced millions in Türkiye and Syria. Besides cities, the disaster also hit rural areas, where aid efforts were disrupted by icy conditions after the initial tremor before military helicopters engaged in bringing supplies after roads were cleared.
Authorities said the death toll of the deadliest disaster in the country’s modern history was revised to over 40,642 as of Sunday.
The quake-affected provinces are home to some 13.5 million people or 15% of Türkiye’s population. In addition, the region accounts for nearly 10% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
The earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş have been dubbed the "disaster of the century" and have caused significant damage to local farmers and their crops.
To support these farmers and help them resume production, the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry has implemented a series of measures. According to information obtained by Anadolu Agency (AA), financial aid will be provided to farmers in the provinces of Kahramanmaraş, Adana, Malatya, Hatay, Şanlıurfa, Kilis, Adıyaman, Diyarbakır, Gaziantep, Osmaniye, and Elazığ.
The ministry will continue to monitor the situation and work closely with local authorities to ensure that farmers receive the assistance they need to recover and rebuild.
As part of the support, the ministry has decided to replace diesel and fertilizer supports, which were previously provided in kind, with cash payments totaling TL 2.8 billion. These payments will be deposited into farmers' accounts by the end of February.
Additionally, the ministry has extended the deadline for producers applying for the Farmer Registration System (ÇKS) product update until May 8, 2023. This will give farmers more time to complete the necessary paperwork for this year's production.
To further assist farmers, the ministry will also withdraw subsidies for raw milk, calves, brood sheep and goats, cattle fattening, beehives, and herd raising and renewal, amounting to TL 530 million throughout the year. These payments will be made in February for the provinces affected by the earthquake.
In addition, approximately TL 1.5 billion of feed support will be given to 185,000 enterprises in these provinces, TL 500 per animal for 2 million cattle and TL 50 per animal for 9 million sheep and goats.
The application period for the 2022-2023 period for agriculture-based economic investments within the scope of rural development supports has been extended to May 8, 2023, in the earthquake-affected provinces and to Feb. 28, 2023, in other areas.
The deadlines for applications are May 8 for organic and good agricultural practices, March 31 for soil analysis support, and May 2 for oilseed crops difference payment support.
For rural economic infrastructure investments, the project evaluation period for the 2022-2023 period was extended to May 8, 2023, in the provinces in the earthquake zone and to March 10, 2023, in other areas.
Meanwhile, the support payments of TL 530 million to be paid to the citizens in the said provinces throughout the year will be made until the end of February.
According to Kirişci, all teams operating in the earthquake zone are working diligently to address the issues within the jurisdiction of the ministry. "We are taking and will continue to take all necessary measures to support our farmers affected by the earthquake. Our efforts are focused on two main objectives: Helping our people who suffered in this disaster and safeguarding our country's food security by eliminating any potential risks," he said.
Kirişci further noted that the general directorate of State Hydraulic Works and Forestry, among other agencies, is fully mobilized to assist in the recovery efforts. "We strive to clear the debris and prevent landslides, enabling our farmers to resume production as soon as possible. Therefore, we hope to ease the burden on those affected by the earthquake to some extent," he added.
Kirişci expressed his condolences to the families who lost loved ones in the earthquake and wished a speedy recovery for the injured. "To those who have lost relatives and families. Let us have patience and pray for their healing," he concluded.