Minister Yumaklı: No Compromise on Adulterated Food

November 7, 2026 · kamudanhaber.net

Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı stated that inspections against food fraud are continuing uninterrupted and announced that there will be no concessions against irregularities and pressures.

Uncompromising Inspections on Counterfeit and Adulterated Products

Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı met with digital media representatives in Istanbul to evaluate food safety practices. Minister Yumaklı stated that he had received direct or indirect requests in the past from companies whose fraudulent products were disclosed to the public. However, he reported that similar applications have completely ceased in the last 1.5-2 years. Stating that some companies try to downplay deficiencies in product content, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı noted that they never allow such approaches, saying:

'Yes, in response to your question, requests used to come in the early days. Like, I said 10 percent, but there's 8 percent, what's the harm?'

Sanction Process for Fraudulent Products

Yumaklı stated that an uncompromising procedure is applied in food inspections conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, emphasizing that public disclosures are not an independent process. Firms engaging in production that violates regulations and adulteration are first subjected to legal fines. Subsequently, risky products are completely withdrawn from the market, and in the final stage, they are transparently announced to the public. Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı stated that they do not consider the justification of protecting brand value as an excuse against the consumer, saying:

'I don't even care who is who.'

Minister İbrahim Yumaklı reminded that the content of a product on the shelf must exactly match what is written on its label.

Tangible Progress in Combating Forest Fires

During the meeting, Minister Yumaklı also shared official data on the protection of environmental and forest assets, reporting a decrease in the number of fires. According to the official data released, forest fires decreased by 35% compared to the previous year. A decrease of 21% was achieved in total fire incidents. An examination of the causes of forest fires revealed that intentional incidents accounted for only 3% of the total. While comprehensive training is provided to citizens in high-risk rural and forest villages, the on-site capacity has been increased by distributing water tankers for initial response in villages.

Climate Summit and International Initiatives

Addressing the preparations for the COP31 summit to be held in Antalya, Minister Yumaklı announced that Turkey will have a strong participation. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry will be present at the global event with 5 main activities and over 30 side events. During the summit, the resilience of agricultural and food systems to the climate crisis, effective water resource management, and the conservation of forest areas will be discussed. Furthermore, the Turquoise Connectivity Initiative will be officially introduced at a Roundtable Meeting organized with the participation of international representatives. The initiative aims to strengthen the links between water, energy, food, and ecosystems.

Hobby Garden Inspections on Agricultural Lands

Reminding of the legal regulations for the protection of fertile agricultural lands, Minister Yumaklı reiterated his determination regarding hobby gardens. Stating that the issue primarily concerns zoning legislation, the Minister said that a law was passed by Parliament to prevent illegal and unauthorized construction on agricultural lands. Following this legal regulation, a significant decrease has been observed in attempts at unauthorized construction on agricultural lands. Yumaklı stated that they are not against legally permitted facilities on agricultural lands, emphasizing that no illegal structures will be overlooked. It was noted that inspections will continue uninterruptedly to protect fertile lands used for production.

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