After the fast-breaking dinner organized by Malatya Commodity Exchange, Grain and Livestock Sectors 2018 Best Export and General Transaction Awards found their owners.
Governor Aydın Baruş, Deputy Mayor of Metropolitan Municipality Hasan Demez, AK Party Malatya MPs Ahmet Çakır and Hakan Kahtalı, Mayor of Battalgazi Osman Güder, Yeşilyurt Town Badişkan Mehmet Çınar, Head of Judicial Justice Commission İzzettin Duman, Turgut Özal University Rector Prof. Dr. Aysun Mr. Karabulut, MTSO Chairman Oğuzhan Sadıkoğlu, CHP Provincial Chairman Enver Kiraz, AK Party Provincial Deputy Chairman Mahmut Öner Özer, official institution managers, representatives of non-governmental organizations and producers attended.
Making the opening speech of the program, Malatya Commodity Exchange Chairman Ramazan Özcan said that Malatya, whose economy is based on agriculture, agro-industry and livestock, continues to take firm steps towards becoming the rising value of the region.
Stating that the apricot, which is the most important product of Malatya, has proven its name in the world dried fruit sector with its quality and taste by obtaining the European Union Geographical Indication Registration Certificate, Özcan stated that in 2018, 260 million dollars were obtained in return for the export of 94 thousand tons of dried apricots to 112 countries. Stating that they continued on their way with firm steps with the goal of exporting 105 thousand tons in 2019, Özcan said, “Apricot kernel exports brought 18 million dollars with 8 thousand 600 tons in 2018. We owe a debt of gratitude to our manufacturers, traders and exporters who have contributed to this issue.”
Expressing that a new era will begin in dried apricot licensed warehousing and product specialization Exchange electronic sales halls, Özcan said, “With the warehouses to be built by the Malatya Commodity Exchange with a capacity of 10 thousand tons and the Malatya Metropolitan Municipality with a capacity of 5 thousand tons, both the producers will be able to store their products in healthy conditions and In this way, the financing problem will be resolved and the product will be made more valuable by regulating the supply-demand balance of the market.”
Stating that Malatya is also the center of the region in animal husbandry, Özcan said, “The Animal Husbandry OIZ, which is planned to be built in the Yazıhan Mısırdere region and will be implemented very soon, will give a different direction to the sector. Malatya attracts attention both in dairy cattle breeding and red meat breeding. Average milk production capacity is 67 tons registered and 400 tons unregistered. It has reached an important place with 192 thousand cattle and 380 thousand sheep and goat breeding. In order to increase the irrigable land area capacity, which is the most important need of our province in the field of agricultural grains, Kapıkaya Turgut Özal Dam met with water of 40 thousand, Boztepe Recai Kutan Dam met with 120 thousand decares of water. Malatya will also become the most important center of the region in grain production.”
Speaking later, Malatya Governor Aydın Baruş stated that Malatya is an important center in terms of agricultural and industrial production, and said, “This place has been an agricultural center for centuries, and it has marketed its agricultural products not only in our province but also in the region. Even apricots have been exported to all over the world. When Malatya is mentioned, apricot comes to mind. If the apricot is in good condition and makes good money, Malatya also smiles, but if there is a problem with the product, if the product quality is low, if there is a problem in marketing, our people do not smile. We estimate that this year apricot will be at last year's production capacity," he said.
Stating that businessmen also have a significant contribution in the marketing of agricultural products, Baruş said, "At this point, the role of the exchanges is very important for the apricot to find the required value, we attach great importance to the current studies in finding the necessary value in the marketing of the apricot."
After the speeches, awards were presented at the Grain and Livestock Sectors 2018 Best Export and General Transaction Awards in Malatya.