Malatya Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Selahattin Gürkan, together with Commodity Exchange President Ramazan Özcan, visited the Recep Tayyip Erdoğan World Apricot Trade Center, which was put into service, and met with tradesmen.
Malatya Commodity Exchange President Ramazan Özcan, said that this project has been one of the most talked about projects in Turkey and Malatya throughout history. President Özcan, “Our tradesmen who stayed here had some difficulties in being unable to buy a shop under the conditions of those days. But partly, some of our tradesmen did not believe that the project would be realized. Now we have to tell the truth. They are all our members, they are all our friends. We have been working for a long time under your leadership to bring everyone under one roof. Look at the trade centers in Turkey today. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan World Apricot Trade Center will be an example to all of them, it is a much more important project than all of them. Apricots have a trade volume of nearly 5 billion dollars worldwide. The production center of this product is Malatya. Therefore, it is essential that this product be traded in a healthy environment. You took a serious risk in this regard. You have produced an important work. We thank you for this. As long as life continued in Malatya and as long as apricots existed, it became a trade center that would absorb all the troubles of apricots. Our aim here is not to leave anyone out or tire anyone out. Our aim is to request that measures be taken to move the trade activities in the old shire market to the Recep Tayyip Erdoğan World Apricot Trade Center. We took the first step today. Today, we lit the torch for the transportation of apricots in Malatya, which believes in this project, from that unhealthy environment (Old Şire Market) to an environment that is similar and beautiful in Turkey. We did these under your presidency. We thank you again and again publicly. "This is truly one of the most talked about projects in Malatya and Turkey throughout history, perhaps from now on," he said.
“WE ARE WORKING TO FACILITATE TRADE FOR OUR CITIZENS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN TRADE”
Stating that, as the Metropolitan Municipality, they carry out all kinds of work to solve the problems of the citizens. President Gurkan In his speech, he said, “As the Metropolitan Mayor, our duty is to facilitate the work of our citizens. To facilitate the trade of our citizens who are engaged in trade and to provide opportunities for them to make more halal and profitable earnings.
While Recep Tayyip Erdoğan built the World Apricot Trade Center in this area, we built the Licensed Cold Storage next to it. While this area is selected, the Northern Ring Road passes in the lower part and the Northern Belt road passes in the upper part. The World Apricot Trade Center was built in the most suitable area in terms of logistics for both the apricots coming from the producers and the apricots to be sent out of the province, dealing with the apricot trade in the centers of transportation arteries.
As the Metropolitan Municipality, we established and delivered workplaces and container bazaars to Jewelers, Textile Makers, Shoemakers, Telephone Makers, Welders, Blacksmiths, Butchers, Fishermen, Non-Governmental Organizations, Press Organizations and all institutions and organizations. In addition, after the destruction and damage of the old wheat market in the February 6 earthquakes, although the tradesmen there were not included in the newly built wheat market, we, as a municipality, bought their workplaces and gave those tradesmen the opportunity to trade free of charge until the end of 2024, by the council decision.
We also have tradesmen who cannot find a workplace in Recep Tayyip Erdoğan World Apricot Trade Center, we are not going to leave them on the street. However, we will also create a balance between our tradesmen who buy shops and those who do not. We will have a meeting with our tradesmen shortly. We will listen to the demands of our tradesmen and try to help in line with these demands. As the municipality, we will mobilize every opportunity to ensure that our tradesmen who cannot buy a shop at the Recep Tayyip Erdoğan World Apricot Trade Center can benefit from the opportunities we offer to the Wheat Market tradesmen.
The current apricot market is not useful in terms of health, hygiene and security. Regarding these issues, there were complaints about health and hygiene during the inspections carried out by Malatya Governorship, Provincial Directorate of Health and Provincial Directorate of Agriculture. As the Metropolitan Municipality, we will use every opportunity in favor of our tradesmen friends to ensure that the tradesmen in the old apricot market are not victimized. May our citizens be of peace, we are working to ensure the peace, health and quality of our citizens' work. Congratulations to our tradesmen at the Recep Tayyip Erdoğan World Apricot Trade Center in their new workplaces. Our Stock Exchange President said that the trade volume of apricots corresponds to 5 billion dollars. If we increase the product range of apricots, we need to increase this figure to a higher level. We need to take the necessary measures to ensure that at least 5 billion dollars out of 2 billion dollars are enriched here in Malatya and its citizens.
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan World Apricot Trade Center is a world-class trade center in itself. Being in a central location in terms of logistics and location together with the Licensed Cold Storage will increase the standards of both producers and tradesmen. I hope that our World Apricot Trade Center will bring good luck to Malatya, our country and world trade. "May God grant good and abundant profits to our tradesmen," he said.
