Turkish minister admits: We want Afrin resources
Agriculture and Forestry Turkey’s Minister, Bakr Pakdemirelli, said Turkish government would like to get Afrin’s resources in some way.
He drew attention during discussions Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry budget in Parliament, where ministry revealed revenues from sales of olive and olive oil, which was transferred from Afrin to Turkey.
Democratic People’s Party (PDP) commented on Pakdemirelli remarks by saying “this is policy of occupation, booty and looting.” Republican People s party representatives condemned government for its injustice to farmers in Turkey by bringing products from Afrin.
During sessions, transfer of Afrin products, controlled by the Turkish army and Free Syrian Army factions, was discussed on March 18 in Turkey.
In his speech during meeting, Republican People’s Party (RPP) representative of the city of Palek Asir, Fakret Shahin, referred to news about transfer of 50,000 tons of olive oil from the Olive Branch crossing on November 8.
The MP pointed out that place where olive oil was transferred from is the Syrian region of Afrin and that was bothered local producers, saying: “Are you confront them?”
The People’s Democratic Party of Shanli Urfa addressed issue by saying that the olive farms in Afrin had been destroyed. This reflects policy of hostility to Kurds in economic sphere. Machin also demanded that this policy of plunder and lootings be reversed.
“It is clear that we do not want PKK to seize the resources of Afrin,” he told Agency France-Press.
In the meantime, a member of Turkish Olive Council, Murad Narin, to e imbalance of prices in markets because of rumors circulated about transfer of 50 thousand tons of olives from Syria to Turkey.
“It puts us in a difficult position on international scene,” Narin said. “Our reputation, which we have acquired with great effort over years, is wasted for short-term interests of a number of people.”
Syrian olive farms are concentrated in e north-west of country and Afrin contains 20 percent of total olive trees in Syria.
Olive tops the list of Afrin products, which was declared independent in 2014, where Afrin produces 30 percent of Syria’s total olive production and a large proportion of its population is engaged in olive cultivation.
It is expected that the number of olive trees in the area of Afrin is about 15 million trees, where the soil and climate in the region suitable for olive cultivation.
