Rice industry rises!

Rice Millers Association is representıng the industry in and out of  Turkey.
By Turgay Yetiş, President of Rice Milers Association Our country has very suitable climate forthe agriculture industry. As long as irrigation is possible all around the country paddy agriculture is possible, There are approximately 150 rice millers in Turkey. These established 150 rice milis have too big production capacrty then the need of the country, The paddy production area of Turkey has been continuousry enlarging. while 350,000 mt (6.04 mt/hec) yield was obtained from 58.000 hectares in 2000; 900,000 mt yield was obtained from 944.000 hectares in 201 I, There is a substantial increase on paddy production area and the yields.
Turkey’s rice production (2007 /2012 )

 
Turkey is a rice and paddy importer since 1984. But the given supports and the high prices of foneign countries, encouraged o ur producers and with the help of additional precautions our local production has increased continuousy. İmport taxes are imposed on paddy, rice and brown rice imports,
Turkey’s paddy import (2007 – 2011)
İmport                     (Ton )
2007                          5,566
2008                        45,307
2009                        63,202
2010                        409,199
2011                         277,083
 
Turkey’s rice import (2007-2011)
Rice import          ( Ton )
2007                           184,908
2008                           179,603
2009                           158,334
2010                           125,641
2011                            41,011
 
On the following table direct rice importation costs and vaues are given according to the caendar year. As can be seen, exports have shovvn a signifıcant increase in the last 5 years.
Rice export             (Ton)
2007                            954
2008                         7,702
2009                        19,796
2010                        51,050
2011                         90,061
Exportation, which is done underthe Inward Processing Regime has shown an increase in recent years. The most important reason of this increase was the fact that Egypt has put ban on rice exports. Countries buying rice from Egypt such as Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, etc. started to buy from our country, That situation was a very important opportunrty for our rice millers and for our country. Turkey has been exporting rice to various countries by importing paddy.
In Turkey, the rice milers are in a fairly good position with regards to machinery, capacrty and knov/ledge.
EU can also be a market for Turkish brown rice in the nearfuture. There is only one association which is representing the sector t is our organization: RİCE MİLLERS ASSOCIATION.
Rice Milers Association (PDD) was established in 1998 to gatheral companies in the sector under one roof. The members of Rice Millers Association are representing 80% of the companies operating in the sector.
The association is closely observing the activities for the development of the sector and trying to be helpful to the govemment on strategies to be arranged for the development of the sector.
The vision is to represent all members at the national and international platform, to protect their rights’, be able to agenda setter and arbiter about the sector’s development and regime and to be a sample on the sector as a non-governmental association.
The most important strategies in order to realize the vision and mission of our Association are: to carry the problems of our members to particular platforms, to share the proposals, which have been developed to sove the problems, with the reated public institutions and organizations, and to contribute to the development of the sector in the process of harmonization with the EU.
PDD is a member of  TGDF (Federation of Food and Drink Association of Turkey) and UHK (Counci of the Nationa Cereals).