Turkey plans to lease land from other countries for crop production, which will help the country overcome the food crisis caused by Russian aggression against Ukraine and the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Turkey is considering leasing agricultural land in 10 countries, including Ukraine, Latin America and Africa, Turkish Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Vahit Kirişci told Türkiye.
“Part of the negotiations with 10 countries, including Ukraine and some countries of Latin America and Africa, ended with an agreement, and contacts with some of them continue. Agricultural products that cannot be produced in Turkey for climatic reasons will be grown on the leased lands or the production of which is insufficient,” the publication said.
It is specified that Turkish private business will also be involved in projects on leased lands. For example, in Sudan, Turkey will grow pineapples, mangoes, avocados, rapeseed, sunflowers, corn, cotton, sesame, sugarcane and alfalfa, the production of which is insufficient in Turkey.
Türkiye specifies that the leased areas will focus on the cultivation of plants that can be used in the production of animal feed. In addition, it is planned to establish the production of wheat there, which will be processed in Turkey and then exported in the form of biscuits, pasta and bulgur.
“We want to bring modern agriculture there. We want to produce in untouched agricultural areas. There are very serious untouched areas, especially in southern Africa. We are able to grow plants in these regions,” the Turkish minister was quoted as saying.
