Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

Congratulating Mustafa Genç, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Sakarya Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Bekir Uztürk, Chairman of the Assembly; the Board of Directors; the Assembly; and everyone who contributed to the project, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “May this be a blessing for Sakarya’s business community. I celebrate the 101^st anniversary of the Sakarya Chamber of Commerce and Industry and remember its founders and all those who contributed with gratitude.”

In his speech at the event, TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Agriculture and livestock farming will be the most critical issues in the coming period. Allah has blessed us with an incredible geography. We must recognize its value and persist in our efforts. It is within our power not only to feed our country but also to feed the entire world.”

Hisarcıklıoğlu noted that there are 126,000 hectares of agricultural land in Sakarya, 43 percent of which is irrigated.

Noting that Sakarya ranks third in Türkiye with an annual hazelnut production of 95,000 metric tons, Hisarcıklıoğlu added that the city ranks first in Türkiye in terms of its production of outdoor ornamental plants.

Hisarcıklıoğlu mentioned that the city produces 380,000 metric tons of grain and silage corn annually, stating, “Geyve is Türkiye’s top producer of quinces, accounting for 60 percent of the country’s total production.

It is also the national leader in pumpkin production, with an annual output of 14,000 metric tons. In short, Sakarya is one of Türkiye’s leading cities in agriculture.”

- The goal of providing the highest-quality service to members

Noting that the Sakarya Commodity Exchange (STB) serves Sakarya’s agricultural sector, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Today, we are jointly inaugurating a very beneficial investment. I would like to thank the Exchange for bringing this modern service building to our city. It is the product of a contemporary management philosophy aimed at providing the best and highest-quality service to its members and enriching the city. It is an investment in the city’s future,” he said.

Hisarcıklıoğlu noted that the STB provides “five-star” service, stating, “It embodies a total quality management philosophy through its administration, board, and staff. In this regard, just as commodity exchanges in Paris, London, and Berlin provide services to a certain standard, our Sakarya Commodity Exchange provides services to that same standard.”

Referring to STB’s services, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Agriculture and livestock farming are arduous endeavors, but those who feed the world will be the leaders of the future. The world’s population is growing by the equivalent of one Türkiye every year. Those in the middle-income bracket are consumers, and newborns are consumers. Agriculture and livestock farming will be the most critical factors in the coming era. Allah has also blessed us with an incredible geography. We must recognize its value and persist in our efforts. It is within our power not only to feed our country but also to feed the entire world,” he said.

Referring to the high interest rates charged by banks, Hisarcıklıoğlu noted that they would be meeting with chamber and stock exchange presidents, as well as bank CEOs, in two weeks.

Stating that they act as guarantors for their 2.6 million members vis-à-vis the banks, Hisarcıklıoğlu said: “We tell the banks, ‘I’ll take 85 percent of the risk, and you take 15 percent. Lend to whoever you deem suitable, and I’ll cover 85 percent of the risk.’ Under this framework, we have acted as guarantors for approximately 700,000 of our members to date. Last year, with the support of the Central Bank, we launched the ‘Breath Credit’ program and made 60 billion lira available to our members. In Sakarya last year, 892 of our members benefited from the ‘Breath Credits.’ This year, we have also secured a 100 billion lira package for our members. The first 25 billion lira has been disbursed. When the second tranche, 75 billion liras, becomes available, we will notify you through the chambers of commerce and commodity exchanges.”

Stating that no one should be marginalized because of their ideas, beliefs, ethnic origin, or religious denomination, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We are brothers and sisters. We have no friends other than each other. We cannot be perfect human beings unless we love one another. Every person has faults and shortcomings. You have no friends other than yourselves. I’ve seen this firsthand while living abroad. We are 80 million brothers and sisters to one another, so let’s love one another,” he said.

Sakarya Governor Rahmi Doğan, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Gökhan Yazgı, AK Party Sakarya Deputy Murat Kaya, and Sakarya Metropolitan Mayor Yusuf Alemdar also expressed their hopes that the new service building would be a blessing.

The program was attended by AK Party Sakarya deputies Ertuğrul Kocacık and Ali İnci, MHP Sakarya Deputy Muhammed Levent Bülbül, Türk-İş General President Ergün Atalay, President of the Turkish Bakers’ Federation Halil İbrahim Balcı, Sakarya Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SATSO) Board Chairman Akgün Altuğ, AK Party Provincial Chairman Yunus Tever, district mayors, and numerous guests.