Kacır: We Will Always Stand by Our Industrialists by Diversifying and Enriching Our Incentives

Forex - The Minister of Industry and Technology, Mehmet Fatih Kacır, inaugurated 25 facilities with a total investment amount reaching 9 billion lira, stating, “These production facilities operating in various sectors from food to textiles, from cement to metal profiles have become a gateway to employment for our 2,400 workers. In the fertile lands of Şanlıurfa, we will advance production, exports, and employment to much higher levels. As the Ministry of Industry and Technology, we will always be by the side and close to our industrialists by diversifying and enriching our incentives and supports.”

Minister Kacır participated in the Opening Ceremony of the Food Specialization Organized Industrial Zone (OSB) and Factories in Şanlıurfa. In his speech here, he wished that the OSB and factories would bring a new breath to Şanlıurfa's growth and development journey. Kacır expressed that they experienced the happiness and rightful pride of having brought countless projects, facilities, services, and investments to Turkey over the last 22 years, breaking export records. He reminded that the number of organized industrial zones has increased from 191 to 362, and employment in these zones has risen from 415,000 to over 2.7 million, saying:

LEADER TURKEY: "We have built Turkey as a leader in the production of military unmanned aerial vehicles in the world and in the production of commercial vehicles, white goods, and solar panels in Europe. Today, Turkey is the country that can competitively export the most products to the most countries in the corridor stretching from China to Central Europe, thanks to its strong industry and technology development infrastructure."

INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING FOR OSBS: "In line with our vision of ‘National Technology, Strong Industry,’ Şanlıurfa is taking its share from our industrialization movement. While there was only 1 OSB in Şanlıurfa 22 years ago, we have increased this number to 5 today. We have allocated 2.5 billion lira in financing for the infrastructure investments of our OSBs. We have created over 31,000 additional employment opportunities in our OSBs. We continue our efforts without interruption so that ‘the star of Şanlıurfa shines forever.’"

LIFELINE FOR SMEs: "In the last 22 years, we have issued 2,534 investment incentive certificates for investments in our city. We opened the door for over 105,000 additional employment opportunities with a fixed investment of 155 billion lira. We have established 1 R&D center and 1 technopark in our city. We are continuing to be a lifeline for our SMEs, which are the main actors in the growth and development of Şanlıurfa. 22 years ago, the number of SMEs supported by KOSGEB didn't exceed the fingers on one hand, and we have raised this number to 21,000 in the last 22 years. We provided 4.5 billion lira in support to our SMEs."

TÜBİTAK SUPPORTS: "We are diligently striving to discover future scientists in Şanlıurfa, to reveal the potentials of our youth, and to support scientific studies. Within the support programs initiated through TÜBİTAK, we have provided 378 million lira in support for 216 scientific projects involving 379 scientists over the last 22 years. We are activating the potential of our city with our Development Agency and regional development administration. With our Karacadağ Development Agency, we have supported 551 projects from our public institutions, local administrations, universities, private sector, and non-governmental organizations in Şanlıurfa with 1.4 billion lira. Through our GAP Regional Development Administration, we provided support of 1.15 billion lira for 178 projects. With the Attraction Centers Program, we contributed nearly 2 billion lira to 18 projects."

REGIONAL CENTER: "In our National Strategy for Regional Development for the 2024-2028 period and our regional plan, we have designated Şanlıurfa as an attraction center serving its surroundings. We will focus on sectors such as food, textiles, clothing, and leather in Şanlıurfa and support value addition, scaling up, and branding. We will facilitate the appeal of agricultural activities for young people, support innovative practices in agriculture, enhance the contribution of tourism values to local economic development, strengthen logistical infrastructure, and further bolster the role of the city as a regional center in urban services."

STRATEGIC PRIORITY: "Within the framework of our 'Local Development Initiative Incentive Program,' which we will share details about with the public soon, we aim to bring production facilities such as cellulose, cellulose acetate, stone wool, cleaned wool, and wool yarn, with a total investment amount reaching 50 million dollars, to Şanlıurfa. We consider strengthening agricultural production infrastructure and advancing the food industry's production and innovation capabilities as strategic priorities. With our GAP Project, which has been supported at the highest levels by our AK Party governments, the amount of land opened for irrigation in Şanlıurfa has reached 425,000 hectares today. We have placed our city in a leading position in the production of cotton, corn, and grains in our country."

TECHNOLOGICAL CAPABILITIES: "With the 'GAP Precision Agriculture Implementation,' we have activated our technological capabilities to enhance agricultural production capacity and sustainability in our city and the GAP Region. Our farmers will now be guided not only by nature's productivity but also by the opportunities offered by technology."

INNOFOOD: "Under the INNOFOOD project, which is Turkey's largest food R&D and innovation initiative to improve the regional competitiveness of the food industry, we have established the Şanlıurfa Food Research and Analysis Laboratory. Equipped with the latest technology, this laboratory has provided our city with the testing infrastructure needed by companies operating in the fields of butter, milk and dairy products, spices, feed, oilseeds, and dried fruits and vegetables in Şanlıurfa and surrounding provinces."

FOOD SPECIALIZATION OSB: "We are inaugurating the Şanlıurfa Food Specialization OSB, which was brought to life with a financial support of 337 million lira from our Ministry. This OSB will enhance the city's role in the food value chain, facilitate new investments, and provide new employment opportunities; may it be beneficial for our city, country, and nation."

EMPLOYMENT DOOR: "Simultaneously with the planned industrial area, we are opening 25 facilities, 8 of which are within the borders of the Şanlıurfa Food Specialization OSB, with a total investment amount reaching 9 billion lira. These production facilities operating in various sectors from food to textiles, from cement to metal profiles have also become a gateway to employment for our 2,400 workers."

SUPPORTED OUR INDUSTRIALISTS: "In the upcoming period, we will further pave the way for investments that will contribute to our Şanlıurfa's development journey. In the fertile lands of Şanlıurfa, we will take production, exports, and employment to much higher levels. As the Ministry of Industry and Technology, we will always stand by and be close to our industrialists by diversifying and enriching our incentives and supports."