Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

At the meeting, opinions were exchanged on the measures to be taken and the methods to be applied in the fight against this pest, which poses a serious threat to hazelnut production.

TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that hazelnut is an extremely important blessing for the region and the country and said, “It is one of the most strategic and valuable agricultural products of Türkiye. It is almost gold grown in the soil. There are no imported inputs, we are the world leader in domestic and national production and exports. Türkiye meets 65-70 percent of the world hazelnut production. Every year, it brings around 2-3 billion dollars in foreign currency to our country and provides bread for 600,000 families. Now we have come together to fight against an important threat to hazelnuts. The Skunk Pest, which we are discussing today, is a problem that poses a serious threat to hazelnut production. It reduces the yield and quality of hazelnuts and causes economic losses. Biological control methods against this pest are prominent in the world. For example, keeping the eggs of the pest under control by using samurai bees is also known as an effective method. We are pleased to see that our Ministry of Agriculture also attaches the necessary importance to this issue and takes the necessary steps.”

- Coordination and cooperation are important in the fight

Providing information about the methods to be taken against the brown skunk pest, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Prof. Dr. Ahmet Gümen said, “Hazelnut is a brand. It is a brand of Türkiye. Therefore, it is our duty to fight against all kinds of harmful pests. We continue our work in a serious manner. The brown skunk is actually a pest originating from East Asia. It was detected in Europe in 2004, in Russia in 2013 and in neighboring Georgia in 2015. Since 2017, it has appeared in our country. The fight against brown skunk is not only a matter of plant production, but also important for food safety and sustainability. At the beginning, it appeared in a limited number in our country, but today it has spread to 35 provinces. The pest is spreading rapidly in the country and that is why we have activated our action plan. Our work on this issue continues,” he said.