EU grants Turkish agriculture 300 mln EUR
Turkish farmers are to receive 300 million EUR from the European Union, as they prepare the country’s agricultural industry for EU access.
The Agricultural and Rural Development Commission of the EU said that the grant should be spent on bringing the state of the industry into line with the requirements of the EU market prior to membership. Turkey is formulating plans to put agencies and bodies in place to receive and distribute the funds, probably towards the end of next year. “Turkey is preparing a plan in which agencies will receive the money by the end of 2008 or the beginning of 2009. A total of 290 million euros will be available for Turkish farmers to increase productivity and quality standards,” said Kai Bauer, sector manager for agriculture, rural development and fisheries of the European Commission to Turkey.
Between 2002 and 2006 Turkey received 166 mln EUR for its agricultural development programs for 15 institution building projects in the sector. “The rural development program is very ambitious. It needs a lot of input from the farmer. The farmer needs to put together a project which is viable and present it to the institutions for approval,” Bauer said.
source: The New Anatolian