Federal Minister of Agriculture Alois Rainer (CSU) stated during his trip to Turkey on Wednesday that he intends to significantly expand the agricultural trade with the country. According to him, their goal is to deepen cooperation with Turkey, thereby giving a new boost to German agricultural and food exports, aligning perfectly with Germany’s agricultural export strategy. “Specifically, this means expanding trade in goods and technology, as well as research cooperation, to the benefit of both sides and at eye level,” Rainer commented.
The CSU politician is the first German Minister of Agriculture to visit Turkey in ten years. Following a bilateral discussion, Rainer and his Turkish counterpart, Ibrahim Yumakli, signed a declaration of intent. “With this joint declaration of intent, we underline our shared commitment to deeper collaboration. There is still a lot of potential here,” Rainer said. “I thank Minister Yumakli for the very good and trusting conversation.”
The joint declaration specifies the intention to remove trade barriers concerning agricultural products, foodstuffs, agricultural technologies, and related services, alongside exchanging specialized knowledge. Furthermore, the collaboration in agricultural research is slated for expansion, and cooperation in plant health and veterinary medicine will be intensified. Looking ahead, the state secretaries of both countries will meet annually, alternating between Germany and Turkey, to discuss current agricultural policy issues and initiate bilateral cooperation.
