Turkey: No agricultural shortfall amid pandemic

By Merve Ozlem Cakir and Sevgi Ceren Gokkoyun

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey is not facing any shortfall in agricultural products amid the coronavirus pandemic, said the country's agriculture and forestry minister Tuesday.

"Turkey showed a very good performance offering food to consumers both in retail and in manufacturing," Bekir Pakdemirli told Anadolu Agency’s Editors' Desk in the capital Ankara.

Pointing to the approaching harvest season in agricultural production, Pakdemirli said the country will take measures in new seeding, planting, and the fall season.

No one needs to stock up based on the idea that food will be scarce in Turkey, he said.

"Turkey has an ecosystem that feeds 83 million citizens, 5 million refugees and 50 million tourists.

"The slump in tourist visits due to the outbreak will also create an abundance of food in Turkey," Pakdemirli added.

On making sure wastewater has not been infected by the virus, Pakdemirli said the ministry has not found any coronavirus in the samples tested in the capital Ankara.

"We detected no coronavirus in the wastewater, although we were able to find other types of virus in the samples.

"I guess this is due to excess disinfectant being used," he said.