Kestelli: It will contribute to production and abundance
Ms. Işınsu Kestelli, chairperson of the Board of Directors of İzmir Commodity Exchange (ICE), made a statement about the New Economic Programme announced by Mr. Berat Albayrak, Minister of Treasury and Finance. Ms. Kestelli commented on the new programme as follows:
"The biggest problem for both workers and producers is uncertainty. Those who cannot predict their future can neither put a new target for themselves nor make new investments. The New Economic Programme, which the Minister of Treasury and Finance Mr. Berat Albayrak has announced lately and is based on "Balancing, Discipline and Change" parameters, includes detailed steps to eliminate these uncertainties. It has clearly been drawn up meticulously with a realistic perspective. The program evolves around stability and sustainability. It also brings savings to the fore and calls for mobilization in this respect by emphasizing the importance of starting savings campaign from the public mechanisms.
The programme prioritizes the transition to the production economy. It asserts that pharmaceutical, petrochemical, energy, machinery / equipment and software industries will be handled primarily, and that exports will be supported in order to reduce the national current account deficit. In the section which lays emphasis directly on agriculture, the statements that "the National Unity Project will be realized and the food value chain from seed to the table will be restructured based primarily on food security and international competition. In this context, necessary support will be given to the studies on the Marketplace Law" draw attention.
It is very pleasing that we will turn to our self-resources by decreasing the ratio of our foreign dependence from seeds to fertilizers, which cripples Turkish agricultural sector and is 6.1% for our economy in general and 19.4% in employment. Reverting to type in agriculture will play an active role in achieving the programme's target of 2 million new jobs. In addition, the fact that new markets such as China and African countries will be in the focus in the new period will also contribute positively to production and export processes.
Moreover, I think that the statement that the equity capital of Türk Eximbank will be increased in order to support exports, and that cash credit, export credit insurance and guarantee facilities will be improved and diversified will embolden agricultural and food exports.
As İzmir Commodity Exchange, which has contributed to the national economy for 127 years, we believe that the New Economic Programme, which places labour and production economy in its centre and provides a long-term road map for the economy, will contribute to the product value and abundance of trade in our agriculture and commercial life. We are ready to do our part to achieve the set goals.
In this process, we believe that preparation of Turkish agriculture for the future within the framework of "Agriculture 4.0", increasing productivity, investing in branding and ongoing collaborations with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to develop new markets will gain momentum under the New Economic Programme.
01.10.2018
