TURKEY OFFERS EXPERIENCE IN PLANT GENETIC CONSERVATION

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 27 (Bernama) -- Turkey is prepared to share its
experiences in plant genetic resources conservation studies with other
Developing Eight (D8) countries as the studies are important in meeting the
growing demand of agricultural production.

Turkey Agriculture and Rural Affairs Minister Mehmet Mehdi Eker said Turkey
had played a leading role in recognising the importance of genetic diversity and
plant genetic resources in agricultural production and had taken steps to
conserve them.

"Turkey's plant genetic resources conservation studies began at the start of
1970, and today plant genetic resources are being conserved in two gene banks
in Turkey," he said at the D8 Ministers Meeting for Food Security here
Thursday.

"In these banks, there are about 62,000 genetic materials of 2,750 plant
species," he added.

He also proposed that the seed bank to be established within D8 countries be
housed in Turkey.

"I would like you (D8 delegates) to consider the possibility of establishing
and hosting the Seed Bank in Turkey," he said.

He also stressed the importance of fertiliser production and availability
for food security, saying that in Turkey, oil and fertilisers had been the most
limiting production factors.

He said Turkey produced nearly 75 per cent of the fertiliser demand with the
importation of almost all the inputs needed in production of the fertilisers.

The countries that make up the D-8 are Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh,
Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Egypt and Nigeria.

-- BERNAMA