Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

  TOBB Turkey Food Industry Council Meeting took place in TOBB Istanbul Service Building, presided by Council President Necdet Buzbaş. The preparation of the Food Sector Report, Turkey Industry Strategy Bill and the informing of the council members about red meat and genetically modified organisms and septicity subjects were on the agenda. In the assessment on the subject of red meat, one of the major cost factors was identified as the feeding of the animals. Consensus was reached on the subject of high costs of feed and energy harming competition, while the ovine sector is on par with the European market. In the presentation about the subject it was stated that once a similar price to those in Europe can be set, the possibility of competition would be certain with imports and exports reaching equilibrium.   - Food industry report   Another matter of discussion at the meeting was the preparation of the Food Sector Report. Council members stated that the figures published by TUİK would be accurate and could form the basis of the report. TOBB Turkey Food Industry Council President Necdet Buzbaş stated that there were many sources of information in Turkey and these should be considered as a whole in a scientific manner and compared in order to garner accurate information. At the end of the exchange of ideas during the council meeting, it was decided that a committee to prepare the report be formed. - Turkey Industry Strategy Bill and the Food Industry   Speaking on the subjects of the Turkey Industry Strategy Bill and Food Industry Sector Council President Necdet Buzbaş bemoaned the fact that the food sector was so little mention in the Industry Strategy Bill. Emphasizing that the sector needs to take a more active role and a larger mention than three articles in the Bill, Necdet Buzbaş exchanged ideas with council members on the subject. Buzbaş pointed out the need for a project detailing the future of the food industry. - TÜGİDER representative’s presentation on GMOs and septicity Another matter of discussion in the meeting was GMOs and septicity. All Food Importers Association (TÜGİDER) representative Melahat Özkan made a presentation to the council members. She stated in her presentation that there were no criteria for expressing septicity in Turkey and that analysis were conducted on a “yes-no” basis. Özkan, stated that even though the imported product contains no genes, due to the conditions of septicity and transportation in the world the possibility of a gene emerging were one in a thousand and that the Ministry laboratory conditions present the possibility of GMO septicity. She touched on the need for discussing the subject of GMOs in a scientific medium in TOBB and that a septicity policy for Turkey needs to be implemented.