Speaking at the program hosted by the Malatya Commodity Exchange, President Ramazan Özcan stated that pesticide residue problems in apricots have increased in recent years due to climate change, causing serious difficulties in exports. Özcan said, "Inspections have increased in many countries, especially in Europe. We are experiencing problems in exports due to pesticide and toxin residues. Unconscious spraying harms both the product and the economy." Reminding that the apricot fruit setting period has begun, Özcan stated that producers should be more careful during this period, saying, "Adverse weather conditions such as rain and hail make it difficult to maintain quality. This situation can also negatively affect exports." Malatya Provincial Director of Agriculture and Forestry, Osman Akar, stated that apricots are one of the cornerstones of Malatya's economy, and that in addition to production, delivering the product to the market in a healthy and safe manner is of great importance. Stating that training programs aimed at preventing pesticide residue and ochratoxin formation are ongoing, Akar said, "Our producers and sector representatives need to be more sensitive about this issue." Akar also noted that within the scope of rural development support programs conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, grant support ranging from 50% to 70% is provided for projects up to 30 million Turkish Lira, and invited producers and investors to take advantage of these supports. Referring to the recent hailstorm, Akar stated that inspections revealed partial damage in approximately 20,000 decares of land, with overall damage ranging from 5% to 30%. The meeting, which was also attended by Malatya Commodity Exchange Assembly President Erdoğan Ünal and representatives of the fresh and dried apricot sectors, concluded with technical presentations and information sessions.
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