Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), elected Mayor of IMM whose freedom was taken away from him in the March 19 civil coup Ekrem İmamoğluThe agricultural support program, which was launched in 2020 under the leadership of , continues to be strengthened this year. The supports carried out to reduce the production costs of urban farmers, to bring producers who have left agriculture back to the fields and to prevent the concreting of agricultural areas are becoming more comprehensive every year. This year, zucchini seedlings were added for the first time to the supports provided to summer vegetable producers with tomato, pepper, cucumber, eggplant and watermelon seedlings. In 2025, in order to increase product diversity in agricultural production, to ensure that farmers turn to more profitable alternative products, to diversify the rotation in agriculture (a farming method that refers to not planting the same products one after the other in a field, but planting different plants one after the other in an order) and to increase soil fertility, dry bean and chickpea seed support will be provided to farmers for the first time this year. This year, a total of 3.315 million 6 thousand summer vegetable seedlings will be distributed to 785 farmers, and 1.791 million 8 thousand winter vegetable seedlings will be distributed to 73 farmers.
DISTRIBUTION STARTED FROM SILIVRI
IMM started the summer seedling distribution with a ceremony held in Silivri Değirmenköy. At the ceremony; IMM Deputy Mayor Nuri Aslan, Silivri Mayor Bora Balcıoğlu, Silivri Chamber of Agriculture President Sabri Özel, İsmetpaşa Neighborhood Headman Erkan Varol and farmers İsmet Asan and Hande Nur Başaran gave speeches. Reminding that the “People Stand Up for Their Will” meeting was held in Silivri last Wednesday with the participation of CHP Chairman Özgür Özel, Aslan said, “We demanded freedom for our Chairman Ekrem, who is unlawfully detained in Silivri Prison. With whom? We demanded freedom together with Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s brothers, relatives and all the people of Istanbul. We demanded freedom for our Chairman Ekrem. We demanded freedom for our Beylikdüzü Mayor and my brother Mehmet Murat Çalık. We demanded freedom for our Esenyurt Mayor Ahmet Özer. We demanded freedom for our Şişli Mayor Emrah Şahan. We demanded freedom for our Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat. We demanded freedom for our Beykoz Mayor Alaattin Köseler.”
ASLAN: “WE CONTINUE TO WALK WITH EKREM İMAMOĞLU’S FARMER-FACTORY VISION”
Ekrem İmamoğluUnderlining that they continue to walk with the vision of 's perspective towards farmers, Aslan said, “We will continue that vision in the same way from now on. Because we know that a country is strong only with its producers. Our Great Leader Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk said, 'Our country is the country of our farmers. We were. Our farmers would grow and produce the best of everything. We were the agricultural country of the world. We were the wheat barn. Our soil was fertile, our farmers were very hard-working. But unfortunately, due to wrong economic policies, our farmers have been in a difficult situation for a long time. Our country is in a difficult situation. High costs are putting a strain on production.” Expressing that he knows the difficulties of farming as a village child, Aslan drew attention to the fact that the support to be given to agriculture is one of the most important issues for IMM President İmamoğlu. Emphasizing that İmamoğlu is struggling with the effort to prevent the concreting of agricultural areas, Aslan shared with the public a brief summary of the support provided by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality to Istanbul farmers and producers engaged in animal husbandry, fishing and beekeeping from 2020 to 2025.
“OUR PRESIDENT EKREM CONTINUES TO WORK DAY AND NIGHT FOR ISTANBUL AND Türkiye”
Noting that İmamoğlu is being held in Silivri prisons very close to the area where the ceremony was held, Aslan said, “He continues to work day and night for Istanbul, for Turkey, right here, approximately 3-5 kilometers away, ready and attentive to serve the Republic of Turkey. Our Mayor Ekrem is producing day and night. I would like to thank my esteemed Metropolitan Mayor, our Metropolitan Mayor, who was elected with the legitimate votes of Istanbul, for giving this vision to the people of Istanbul, to Istanbul, to Silivri, to Çatalca and to Şile. Ekrem İmamoğlu', on behalf of our farmers, our fellow citizens of Silivri and our fellow citizens of Istanbul, I would like to convey my love and respect from here. I say thank you for each and every one of your efforts. In exactly 3 days, we will commemorate the anniversary of May 19, 1919. Just as your relative, fellow citizen, a son of the country, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, went to Anatolia despite all the difficulties and set off on his journey, our Mayor, who is being held captive in Silivri dungeons today, will serve 86 million people in the same way, with the same mission and vision. We are with our esteemed Mayor together with all our companions. On your behalf, we once again say 'get well soon' to him and want our Mayor Ekrem to be with us as soon as possible,” he said.
THANKS TO IMM SUPPORT, AGRICULTURAL AREAS IN ISTANBUL INCREASED BY 51.500 DECARES
While the number of farmers supported in 2020 was 693, this number reached a total of 5.945 people, including 2003 in plant production, 417 in animal production, 1.478 in beekeeping and 9.843 in fishing. Since 2020, IMM has provided summer seedling support consisting of tomato, pepper, eggplant, cucumber and watermelon varieties, as well as winter seedling support consisting of broccoli, cauliflower, red cabbage, white cabbage, black cabbage, curly lettuce and celery. The number of seedling support to date has amounted to 55 million units. The summer vegetable seedlings provided within the scope of the support will be planted in a total area of 9.735 decares throughout Istanbul. Approximately 80 thousand tons of product is expected to be obtained from these areas. Thanks to the uninterrupted support of IMM, the agricultural areas in Istanbul have increased by 51.500 decares. All supports continue in the form of 100 percent grants, without any farmer contribution.
