Miller Magazine Issue: 115 July 2019

64 INTERVIEW MILLER / JULY 2019 “Wheat cultivation areas in Turkey is 7,6 million hectares in average. But we expect that this will drop under 7 million hectares according to indicators like fertilizer usage and direct information from farmers. Production of summer substitutes of wheat is going to substantially increase. The wheat is a tradi- tional and strategic product of this region. We have concerns about wheat production in terms of both the yield and the quality. We have to increase wheat cultivation areas above 7,5 million hectares.” ‘Turkey has to retain at least 7.5 million hectares of wheat cultivation area for its future’ Ayhan Atalay Chairman of Board Ata Tohumculuk Interview: Mustafa Yağmurlu