Grants provided for agriculture to rise 60 percent

Food, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Mehdi Eker has announced that the maximum limit for development loans offered through the Agriculture and Rural Development Support Foundation (TKDK) has been increased to TL 3 million, and that 50 percent of the credits will be granted.

Eker further noted that the percentage of the donated loans will be increased from 50 to 60 percent in operation and investment loans provided for dairy products, meat, vegetables and water products.

Announcing that the TKDK, which is currently providing support for rural development within the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance, Rural Development Program, will be transformed into a paying agency modeling the European Union, Eker added that the TKDK has signed agreements with 4,000 young investors and provided TL 3.8 billion in investments since 2011, of which TL 2.2 billion was granted.

The TKDK is also scheduled to provide TL 1.2 billion worth of grants in 2015. Regarding the latest floods and frost, Eker noted that goods are insured against flood and frost damage, and half the price of insurance policies are covered by the ministry. "Many of the fields that were damaged were uninsured and improperly protected. Therefore, we can only offer certain social relief and assistance to those that have suffered," said Eker.