A delegation including pulse industry representatives from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, under the coordination of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), visited Mersin Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MTSO). While global food security, sustainable production and international cooperation issues were discussed at the meeting, MTSO Chairman Hakan Sefa Çakır said that Mersin has the potential to become FAO's regional food supply and distribution base with its production power and logistics infrastructure.
During the visit carried out under the coordination of FAO, MTSO Chairman of the Board of Directors Hakan Sefa Çakır and Board Member İdris Üs Temel hosted the pulse industry representatives from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. While the effects of global climate change on food supply were evaluated at the meeting, the strategic importance of pulses in terms of sustainable agriculture and food security was emphasized. The necessity of increasing the production of pulses, which are among the products resistant to climate change, and delivering them to world markets through strong logistics networks, was emphasized.
During the meeting, it was stated that Mersin is an important center not only for Türkiye but also for the countries in the region, with its knowledge in the pulses sector, advanced processing industry and logistics infrastructure. It was stated that the city has the capacity to provide consultancy, especially to the Turkish Republics, in the fields of production, trade and technology.
"Mersin can play a strategic role in global food supply"
Speaking at the meeting, MTSO President Hakan Sefa Çakır stated that pulses are one of the basic product groups that feed the world and that pulse production will play a critical role in solving the food supply problems caused by global climate change.
Pointing out Mersin's advantages in production, processing and logistics, Çakır said, "It is of great importance to deliver pulses to world markets at affordable costs with the right production, right marketing and right logistics. Mersin is one of the strongest centers that can be FAO's regional food supply and distribution base, thanks to its ports and land, air and railway connections. It can serve as an important food shipping center with this infrastructure in possible global and regional crisis periods."
Noting that they attach importance to FAO keeping global climate change among its priority agenda items, Çakır said that countries that stand out in food production, especially Turkey and the Turkish Republics, should implement long-term production plans that will cover the next 30-40 years from now on.
Message of cooperation from Turkish Republics
FAO officials and industry representatives in the delegation stated that Mersin's experience and expertise in the field of pulses is of great importance to them and that they are open to all kinds of cooperation.
Participants expressed that they wanted to develop commercial cooperation between Turkish Republics and companies from Mersin in order to strengthen sustainability in pulses trade. The delegation members also stated that they want to benefit from Mersin's technological infrastructure, seed breeding, processing technologies and sectoral knowledge so that the production in their country can reach international market standards, and invited business people from Mersin to their country for technology transfer and information sharing. - MERSIN