TÜDKİYEB President Çelik: Pasture Improvement in the GAP Region Spread Across 50,000 Decares Will Positively Impact Livestock Numbers

Foreks - Nihat Çelik, the President of the Central Union of Sheep and Goat Breeders in Turkey (TÜDKİYEB), stated that the GAP Action Plan for the 2024-2028 period includes plans to increase the small ruminant population. He noted, "The target of 11.8 million small ruminants in our GAP Region, which includes 9 of our provinces, is extremely significant and valuable for our sector."

In his statement, Çelik evaluated the GAP Action Plan Informational Meeting held in Şanlıurfa, which was attended by Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz and six ministers, from the perspective of small ruminant agriculture. He emphasized the importance of the GAP Region for the economic development of Turkey and expressed satisfaction with the objective of maximizing agricultural potential in the region, with a particular focus on small ruminant farming.

Çelik highlighted the goal of increasing the small ruminant population in the new GAP Action Plan, stating, "According to June 2024 data, our total small ruminant population in the country has reached 53.9 million. We anticipate that this figure will rise further by the end of the year. Regionally, after the Eastern Anatolia Region, our second-largest small ruminant population is in the Southeastern Anatolia Region, where it is currently around 10 million. The new GAP Action Plan aims to increase this number to 11.8 million, representing an 18% increase. Therefore, we find this increase quite important and valuable in terms of largely resolving the issues in red meat and increasing milk yield."

Çelik pointed out that the three-year planning period initiated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry aims to increase the small ruminant population from 52.4 million to 61.1 million, reflecting an approximate 13% increase and removing meat imports from the agenda by the end of the planning period. He explained that if this occurs, it will be welcomed by breeders and consumers both across the country and in the GAP Region.

Furthermore, he emphasized that with the GAP Action Plan, prioritizing projects that aim to improve livestock infrastructure and implement smart pasture management over 50,000 decares will positively affect the increase in animal numbers.

Çelik remarked that achieving the targets set in the GAP Action Plan would be one of the country's most significant gains. He expressed gratitude on behalf of all breeders, farmers, and producers to Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz and participating ministers: Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı, Labor and Social Security Minister Vedat Işıkhan, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek, Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır, and Trade Minister Ömer Bolat for setting important new goals for our country through the informational meeting. He also extended heartfelt thanks to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, a friend of farmers and producers, for his unwavering support for the sector. "We will continue our efforts in collaboration with our Ministry to reach the goal of one small ruminant per capita that our esteemed president has set for our sector," he concluded.