Turkey aims to plant 82 million saplings until November

By Tuba Sahin

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's agriculture and forestry minister said Friday 82 million saplings will be planted across the country until November this year.

"The rooting average of the saplings planted on Nov. 11, 2019 is 95%," Bekir Pakdemirli told Anadolu Agency’s Editors’ Desk in the capital Ankara.

Over 11 million saplings were planted in more than 2,000 different localities across Turkey on Nov. 11 at 11.11 a.m. local time (0811GMT), as part of the Breath for the Future campaign launched by the ministry.

Nov. 11 was declared National Forestation Day to be marked annually.

The ministry planted the saplings on behalf of people who adopted them online as part of the massive forestation campaign.

Pakdemirli added that the ministry itself plants nearly 300 million trees per year.

Touching on Turkey's meat import, Pakdemirli said the ministry has not given certificate for livestocks since Oct. 26.

"Our meat import was 55,752 tons in 2018 and 5,037 tons in 2019," he said.

Pakdemirli underlined that Turkey's standards for genetically modified organism (gmo) are far beyond that of the EU.

Responding to a question about electric tractor, he said the test process of the vehicle was completed.

"The factory is getting ready for manufacturing. It will be ready by July or August," Pakdemirli stated.