Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumaklı on Friday outlined a plan to eliminate Türkiye's reliance on meat imports, emphasizing the country's commitment to ensure self-sufficiency in livestock production.

In a briefing with media representatives, Yumaklı expressed confidence that by the end of a three-year planning period, Türkiye would no longer need to import meat.

He highlighted efforts to bolster domestic meat production, including expanding breeding livestock herds.

Yumaklı detailed collaborative efforts between the General Directorate of Agricultural Enterprises (TIGEM) and the Meat and Milk Board, noting that the initiative is progressing steadily.

In eastern Iğdır province, 10,000 livestock are currently maintained on TIGEM land, with plans to double this number to 20,000, said the minister.

In Ceylanpınar region of southeastern Şanlıurfa province, the goal is to create a breeding stock of 70,000 animals, he added.

He acknowledged the current 5% gap in domestic meat supply, stressing that the country is well-positioned to achieve self-sufficiency due to its fertile lands and robust production capabilities.

"No country is 100% self-sufficient," Yumaklı remarked, "but we have significant advantages in livestock production. Our land is well-suited for this purpose, and we face no challenges in marketing or exporting to nearby countries. Our focus is on increasing domestic production to meet demand."

"We have implemented all applications to increase the quality of our herd and control animal diseases. We are closely monitoring these. In the past, there was an immediate need to import to cover the gap. That served its purpose at the time. But you can't always close this gap with imports," said the minister.

"We have set a three-year perspective for this," he added. "According to our planning, meat imports will no longer be a topic of discussion in Türkiye by the end of this period."