In his statement, Karan noted that the Brown Skunk continues to spread rapidly and invade hazelnut gardens.
Pointing out that the hazelnut pest was not taken into consideration to the necessary extent despite all warnings, warnings and calls, Karan said, “Despite the warnings and struggles of both the chambers of agriculture and the officials of the agriculture and forestry directorate, the Brown Skunk could not be prevented. There is a significant increase in the population of the hazelnut pest, which was seen in small amounts in Giresun last year, this year. This poses a serious danger to the new crop hazelnuts. It is currently predicted that the rapidly spreading Brown Skunk will cause around 100-150 thousand tons of damage to the crop in 2024. An all-out fight against this pest should be initiated as soon as possible, in cooperation with the state and producers, and this pest should be cleared from hazelnut orchards and agricultural lands.
Currently, the struggle carried out by the state is location-oriented in some gardens and is not sufficient.
The state should provide pharmaceutical support to producers against this pest as soon as possible. It will not only be the producer who will lose product from this pest, but the country’s economy will also lose foreign currency income from hazelnut exports. We are calling out to our state on behalf of hazelnut producers; Let’s fight together against this pest that invades our gardens and agricultural lands. Moreover, this pest has spread not only to agricultural lands in the Black Sea Region, but also to citrus agriculture in the Mediterranean Region and continues to spread throughout Turkey. “If we cannot destroy the Brown Skunk in time and place, the future of all agricultural products, especially hazelnuts, is under serious threat,” he said.
“TMO SHOULD REVISE THE SALES PRICE OF SHELLED HAZELNUT”
Karan, President of the Chamber of Agriculture, also touched upon the sale of shelled hazelnuts by the Soil Products Office and stated that the office should determine the hazelnut sales according to the new season purchase prices. Karan said, “TMO should gradually revise the prices of shelled hazelnuts that it plans to offer for sale from now on and prevent any manipulations that may occur in the hazelnut prices before the new deadline. TMO’s current sales price is in the free market range and is definitely not a figure that manufacturers will accept in the new season. “The more TMO, which buys and sells on behalf of the state, determines the hazelnut prices in favor of the producers, the more they will be determined in the free market.”
