Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır, at the opening ceremony of the Aquatic Products Processing, Shocking and Storage Facility held in Sinop, drew attention to Türkiye's potential in the aquatic products sector and explained the investments made in line with the sustainable blue economy vision. Minister Kacır emphasized that under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, they are pursuing a holistic agricultural and industrial policy that aims to ensure high-efficiency production in food, to ensure supply security by using resources in a balanced manner and to take an active role in supply chains.
Türkiye's Aquaculture Potential and Its Contribution to Women's Employment
Minister Kacır, who stated that Türkiye, surrounded by the sea on three sides and having thousands of kilometers of coastline, has a great potential in terms of fishing and farming of aquatic products, stated that this sector not only shapes the tables but also culture, economy and social memory. Emphasizing that the aquatic products sector is one of the important areas that transform ancient maritime heritage and unique geographical advantages into production, export and employment, Kacır stated that this sector creates a strong multiplier effect in city economies by supporting the development of many business lines such as food processing, packaging, logistics and cold chain. He stated that the processing of aquatic products in particular plays a supporting role in women's employment due to the intensive use of women's labor.
Sustainable Blue Economy and Investment Incentives
Minister Kacır stated that as the Ministry of Industry and Technology, they aim to move the aquaculture sector to a more competitive structure with effective incentives and support mechanisms in line with the sustainable blue economy vision, and said that they have issued 22 incentive certificates for investments in the cultivation and processing of aquaculture in the last 362 years and paved the way for an investment of 25,9 billion liras and the employment of 6 people. He also stated that they provided 100 million liras of support to 95 projects for aquaculture through development agencies and supported the innovative work of 321 initiatives developing projects in the field of aquaculture in technoparks.
Türkiye's Aquatic Products Production and Export
Minister Kacır, who stated that Türkiye ranks 1th in the world in aquaculture with an annual production of 16 million tons, said that aquaculture exports exceeded 2 billion dollars last year and that Turkish salmon has become a world brand. He emphasized that activating the high potential of coastal cities in aquaculture and hunting in terms of quality, sustainability and innovation is their priority.
Aquatic Products Processing Facility in Sinop and Its Contribution to Regional Development
Minister Kacır, who stated that Sinop is a city with a fishing tradition of thousands of years and has made a remarkable breakthrough in aquaculture in recent years, said that the Aquatic Products Processing, Shocking and Storage Facility, which was implemented with an investment of 10,5 million Euros, will carry the abundance of the Black Sea to the world. He stated that this facility is the first and only facility offered for common use on the Black Sea coast and that it will both bring the sweat of fishermen to the economy with higher added value and accelerate Sinop's export potential by ensuring that products reach new markets. He also stated that the institutional capacities of aquaculture producers will be strengthened by providing special training programs and qualified consultancy services to 300 SMEs through the SME Support Center.
Other Investments in Sinop and Local Development Initiative
Minister Kacır, who stated that Sinop is among the cities where the development mobilization is strongly felt, said that they have issued 22 incentive certificates for investments to be made in the city in the last 302 years and paved the way for 21 billion liras of investment and 10 thousand qualified employment. He stated that they have created an additional 400 employments with the 3 million liras of financing they provided for the infrastructure projects of Sinop and Boyabat Organized Industrial Zones and completed the superstructure of the Boyabat Carpenters Industrial Site with 300 workplaces. He also stated that they have provided 50 million liras of support to SMEs through KOSGEB and 887 million liras of support to 157 projects in Sinop through the Northern Anatolian Development Agency. He also stated that significant investments have been made in Sinop in areas such as tourism, social development and youth employment.
Good News of New Organized Industrial Zones
At the end of his speech, Minister Kacır stated that organized industrial zones are the engine of development all around Türkiye and announced the good news that the number of organized industrial zones increased to 368 with the declaration of Giresun Şebinkarahisar Organized Industrial Zone and Gümüşhane Kelkit Organized Industrial Zone. He stated that in the last 22 years, the number of production facilities in OIZs increased from 11 thousand to 60 thousand, and the number of employees increased from 415 thousand to 2 million 700 thousand. He stated that in the coming period, with a terror-free Türkiye, the local development drive will accelerate and all cities of Anatolia will sign the Turkish Century together.
