With the cooperation of Yudum and the Seed Association, and the technical support of the Directorate of Thrace Agricultural Research Institute, ‘the Social Responsibility Project on Supporting Local Sunflower Seed’ has started. The first harvest as part of the project, the landmark in the development of high-yielding local seeds and increasing diversity, took place on September 16, Thursday in Tekirdağ, Muratlı. An event took place with the participation of Musa Kaya, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Seed Association; Houmer Balazadeh, Savola Foods General Manager for Turkey; Dr. Adnan TULEK, Director of the Institute of Agricultural Research of Thrace Association; Dr. Ayşegül Selışık, FAO Deputy Representative in Turkey and Tahir Büyükhelvacıgil, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Association of Vegetable Oil Industrialists as well as many farmers, representatives of the public and the industry.
The aim of the project is to develop local sunflower seeds in Turkey and to obtain high-quality local varieties that will ensure that they will become prominent in the world market in terms of yield and quality. In addition, farmers engaged in sunflower agriculture are provided with trainings and practical technical support by dissemination efforts in the context of the project. On the day of the event, a total of 10 varieties of local seeds were harvested, including 2 registered, 2 with production permits and 6 candidate varieties that had been planted in three different test fields in Muratlı, Edirne and Keşan districts of Tekirdağ, and Silivri of Istanbul.
10 breeds of candidate sunflower seed varieties were tested
The keynote speaker at the event, Musa Kaya, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Seed Association, said: “We are always trying to put forward projects that support nature, the environment, agriculture and farmers, and we joined forces with Yudum, who set out with similar goals, in this project. The ‘Social Responsibility Project on Supporting Local Sunflower Seed’ emerged after we met Yudum. Within the scope of the project, we offered seed support primarily to leading farmers, established a farmer network, and provided trainings on sunflower farming. Then, we tested 10 breeds of sunflower candidate seed varieties in 3 of our fields.”
“Our goal is to increase domestic production and support farmers in every sense.”
Savola Foods General Manager for Turkey, Houmer Balazadeh stated that they are excited to sign a brand new project with the aim of increasing domestic sunflower production as Yudum, the most beloved oil brand of Turkey, which was born in this land 45 years ago. He also said that “Our goal is clear: to increase the capacity in domestic production with local seeds and to make this momentum sustainable by supporting farmers in every sense. With the Social Responsibility Project on Supporting Local Sunflower Seed, we will contribute to the development of local sunflower seeds in Turkey and be prominent in the world market in terms of yield and quality.”
The United Nations will deliver a message on the transformation of food systems in the world
Dr. Ayşegül Selışık, FAO Deputy Representative in Turkey, explained that “If food systems are especially transformed by making them more resistant to climate change factors, affordable and healthy foods may be provided in a manner that is sustainable and inclusive, and they can be used as a factor to end famine, food insecurity and malnutrition in every form”.
Oily seeds should be declared “strategic product”.
Underlying that the European Union and Turkey make up 55% of the sunflower seed imports in the world, Tahir Büyükhelvacıgil, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Association of Vegetable Oil Industrialists, said: “Among the staple foods, oily seeds and their derivatives constitute one of the largest import items. In oily seeds, we are largely dependent on foreign raw materials. Our country has exceeded the critical threshold in foreign dependence on vegetable oil. As a country, unfortunately, we are paying a price of 3.5 – 4 billion USD to foreign countries. If this continues, we will have to pay 16 to 18 billion USD to import oily seeds by 2030”.
Büyükhelvacıgil stated that the only solution to this problem is through increasing domestic production and he concluded his words by saying: “We believe that increasing domestic production will be the most significant step to take in solving this problem. As a country, we should increase the number of arable lands and initiate production mobilization with policies that will enable farmers to produce. Sunflower is of great importance, especially in terms of its compatibility with the flora of Turkey and being the product that our farmers know best. To obtain the most suitable yields and high productivity in our regions, we must develop local seeds. The project that we will reap the first fruits today is very important for this. In this respect, I want to express my gratitude to the Yudum Family, the employees of the Directorate of Thrace Agricultural Research Institute, and all farmers who have made it possible for us to harvest today under “the Social Responsibility Project on Supporting Local Sunflower Seed”.