Mr. Erhan Öner, Tekfen Holding CEO and Ms. Esin Mete Toros Tarım CEO were deemed to be worthy of Officier du Wissam Alaoui Royal Order of the Kingdom of Morocco.

Mr. Erhan Öner, President and CEO of Tekfen Group Companies, and Ms. Esin Mete, Assistant President responsible for Tekfen Holding Agricultural Industry Group and also CEO for Toros Tarım, were deemed to be worthy of Officier du Wissam Alaoui Royal Order of the Kingdom of Morocco due to their close commercial relationship with Morocco ongoing for 30 years and also their services for the development of the country.

A ceremony was held on December 22, Thursday, on the occasion of the visit realized by Mohammed VI, King of Morocco, to the Jorf Lasfar industrial region located on the shore of Atlantic Ocean. Attending the ceremony as the official invitee of OCP (Office Chérifien des Phosphates S.A), the biggest state institution of Morocco, Mr. Erhan Öner and Ms. Esin Mete were presented the Officier du Wissam Alaoui Royal Order of the Kingdom of Morocco by Mohammed VI, King of Morocco, himself.

After presenting a comprehensive briefing to the king on the capacity increase and transport of the production plants of phosphate rock that is the greatest source of income of Morocco and transport, Moustapha Terrab, the president of OCP and the host of the ceremony, was the first person that congratulated the Tekfen Administrators.

Officier du Wissam Alaoui Royal Order of the Kingdom of Morocco is awarded to the Moroccans or foreign people that work at military or civil posts and contribute greatly to the development of Morocco  since 1913.

 

Being the meeting point of the global trade in the agricultural technologies, Growtech Eurasia 2011 Fair brought the leading companies of the sector together for the 11^th time. During Growtech Agricultural Fair, Toros Tarım, once more, found the opportunity of introducing the special products in its products range to the visitors. 

Being one of the greatest organizations of the Turkish agriculture sector, Growtech Eurasia 2011, 11^th Eurasia Growtech International Horticulture, Agriculture, Floriculture and Technologies Fair was held in Antalya Expo Center between 01 and 04 December. A great number of domestic and international companies participated in the fair where the visitors will be able to follow the latest developments in the agricultural technologies. The products and the latest technologies displayed at the fair attracted great attention.

Toros Tarım displayed water soluble special fertilizers, micro food elements and field seeds (varieties of potato and wheat seeds) besides fruit seedlings (almonds, plums, cherries and pears)and  bananas (Grand Nain, overgrown, streak, dwarf Cavendish, Williams) in the Growtech Fair where especially the products intended for greenhouse agricultural were on display. Besides, the technological side of Toros Tarım was reflected to the visitors by demonstrating how the production of potato seed was carried out from root meristem within the body of Agripark by using the original materials. Technical information with regard to the potato types was also provided. The innovative stand design and the displayed Toros Tarım products won the recognition of the visitors during the fair.

 

Having aimed at a strategic partnership towards regional growth on the global fertilizer market, Toros Tarım signed a contract with OCP, Office Chérifien des Phosphates S.A., the largest Moroccan state enterprise that controls 30% of the world’s phosphate exports.

Toros Tarım, a Tekfen Holding Agri-Industry Group company, has signed a contract with OCP, Office Chérifien des Phosphates S.A., the largest state enterprise of Morocco that controls 30% of the world’s phosphate exports, to found a joint venture in Turkey. According to the contract, a company named Black Sea Gübre Ticaret A.Ş. -Black Sea Fertilizer Trade Co will market phosphate-based fertilizers produced at the Toros Tarım Samsun facilities to the Black Sea, Balkans and Central Asia regions. OCP and Toros will own 70% and 30% of the company, respectively.

This partnership will inject dynamism to the industry
Esin Mete, Chairwoman of the Executive Board of Toros Tarım and Tekfen Agri-Industry Group CEO, stated that this partnership, coming at a time when Toros Tarım celebrates its 30th anniversary, is set to inject the industry with additional dynamism.
Esin Mete said, “Our objective at Toros Tarım is to grow with a strategic regional partnership in the global fertilizer market. The partnership agreement we have signed with OCP, Office Chérifien des Phosphates S.A., one of the biggest players in the sector, will give us a massive leverage in this context. We have successfully outperformed our dreams in the past three decades. We fully intend to put our signature, in the next three decades, to accomplishments we could barely begin to visualise today.” 

Our partnership with Toros Tarım is based on 30 years of trust
Mhamed Ibnabdeljalil, OCP Executive Vice-President for Sales, Marketing and Raw Material Procurement, remarked on 30 years of commercial cooperation with Toros Tarım based on mutual trust and stated that the newly founded company would carry this cooperation much further. Mhamed Ibnabdeljalil added, “This joint venture will offer us the potential to identify and take a more active role in the development of markets in line with the OCP strategy of reinforcing its presence in these growing markets, by serving our customers from closer points.”

Toros Tarım celebrates its 30th anniversary
Toros Tarım, which began its activities in 1981 with the production and distribution of chemical fertilizers, celebrates its 30th anniversary this year (2011). Toros Tarım’s main business lines are fertilizers and terminal operations and under fertilizers the company increased its market share to 34.6% in 2010 from 30% in 2009.

Toros Tarım’s other business segments are as follows: production, import and sales of chemical fertilizers, terminal operations, trade in grains and feed, seed and seedling production, techno-agriculture and bag production as well as energy generation, gas station and free zone operations, pilotage, tugboat and shipping agency services. 

Toros Tarım owns 38% of Turkey’s installed chemical fertilizer production capacity with its three plants, in Ceyhan/Adana, Mersin, and Samsun; this capacity makes the company the undisputed market leader. With a dealership network of 800 dealers, Toros Tarım reached total fertilizer sales of 1,743,972 tonnes in 2010, of which 1,571,443 tonnes sold to dealers, 136,528 tonnes sold to wholesale customers, and 36,001 tonnes exported.

With farmer-friendly practices, high business standards, pioneering projects and proven commercial success, Toros Tarım achieved a reputable position, with a turnover of TRY 892.3 million in the agricultural sector, as the 53rd largest company in Turkey according to the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce survey of the 500 largest Turkish manufacturers. Toros Tarım’s leadership in the Turkish fertilizer sector and the field of agricultural industry has thus been independently endorsed.

OCP realises 30% of the global phosphate trade
Morocco possesses three quarters of the entire world’s raw phosphate reserves, and is therefore the largest exporter of this product and second largest producer.

The largest Moroccan state enterprise, and holding 30% of the world phosphate exports, OCP, Office Chérifien des Phosphates S.A., is active in the extraction, development and marketing of phosphate-based products. The largest company in the Kingdom of Morocco with its US$ 6.9 b turnover, OCP employs 18,500 people who offer the company’s products to five continents. Phosphate-based products comprise three quarters of Moroccan exports. The country extracts around 30 million tonnes of raw phosphate per annum and OCP produces 25.66 million tonnes of rock phosphate each year. Mostly utilised by fertilizer producers, phosphate is extracted in mines around Khouribga, Benguérir, Youssifia and Boukra/El Aioun. OCP Group exports of phosphoric acid products reach 2.2 m tonnes per annum.

About Toros Tarım Samsun Production Plant
Toros Tarım Samsun production plant is located on the coast, about 15 km from Samsun city centre, and was originally founded to meet Turkey’s compound fertilizer requirements. The plant has four main units: two producing fertilizers and the other two, phosphoric acid, the main ingredient of phosphatic fertilizers.

Acquired by Toros Tarım in 2005 through privatisation, the Samsun plant underwent an overhaul before resuming production in 2006. In addition to the extra production capacity, the revamping also endowed Toros Tarım with the powerful advantage of a Black Sea terminal, which has become Toros’s gateway to the Black Sea.
 

Esin Mete, CEO of Toros Tarım Company has participated the meeting of World Food Safety Commission, organized by FAO, Food and Agriculture Organization

Esin Mete, CEO of Toros Tarım Company was in Rome on the 19th of October to participate a special meeting organized by the United Nations Food Safety Commission. During the meeting issuing the subjects related to the current state of worldwide food safety and nutrition, participants discussed the ways of improving participation of private sector to food value chain in developing countries. Esin Mete, who took place in panel discussion conducted under subhead of Food Safety and Nutrition, exchanged opinions with her colleagues on local, international and administrative aspects of the matter and contributed to preparation of a guiding declaration for this matter.

Being one of the key committees of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Food Safety Commission has been functioning as an international forum since the day it was founded in 1970s, where policies related to World food safety are revised and developed under the roof of United Nations. The commission aims at creating an international platform where representatives of private sector may work together for the purpose of securing food safety and food supply for all by various of organizations and meetings realized with participation of experts and related sector representatives.

United Nations Food Safety Commission continues its activities a while in a platform where private sector is more active.

 

Toros celebrated its 30^th anniversary of putting Ceyhan production plant into service on Friday, October 14^th at the reception held in the social facilities of Ceyhan complex.

The senior managers of Toros Agri, leading suppliers, solution partners and visitors from abroad, as well as the employees of Ceyhan Production plant were invited to the celebration reception. Mr. Erhan Öner, President of Tekfen Group Companies and Ms. Esin Mete, Chairwoman of Toros Agri Board of Directors were the hosts of the celebration and Mr. Feyyaz Berker and Mr. Nihat Gökyiğit, the two founding shareholders, were the honorary guests.

The celebration started with projection of a documentary where Toros Agri history was projected through Ceyhan employees’ memoirs.  Stepping up the stage after the documentary, Ms. Esin Mete underlined the success Toros achieved in the last thirty years and added that they were indebted to Tekfen principles, beliefs and to the Tekfen culture for becoming a sector leader in 9 years although Toros was the smallest company of the sector.

Ms. Mete said, “I lay great importance to that we have learned in these 30 years, as well as its being kept, preserved and carried through the future.” “We do not only produce fertilizers, seedlings and seeds in our plants," she continued, "We are producing the means for our farmers who form a significant part of our society to reach a certain welfare level where they can lead their lives under better conditions, shape a better future for themselves and for their  children. Our aim is to bring them fertility. The essential issue for us is never missing this humane part of our job. I think, this is what we have achieved in these 30 years. Together with our dealers, farmers, suppliers and employees, we always tried to stand close to each other. We have always been people oriented. We have put the happiness of people before the sweet profit dreams. This is what I mean when I mention the Tekfen culture.”

Mr. Erhan Öner, President of Tekfen Group Companies came up the stage after Esin Mete, shared with the guests his anecdotes related with the first years when Toros was founded. Commemorating Mr. Necati Akçağlılar, the originator of Toros and the founding shareholder of Tekfen Holding, Mr. Öner said, “Mr. Akçağlılar always wanted us to achieve the impossible. Thanks to his instructions and the support of all our bosses, we reached the point where we are now. Without their support and belief, we could not have achieved this many successes.”

Mr. Nihat Gökyiğit and Mr. Feyyaz Berker, the two founding shareholders, also made short speeches during the preliminary section.

Mr. Nihat Gökyiğit said, “We listened to what the soil said. The soil said that it was lacking in many things. It did not have sufficient elements. It was begging for analyses to be carried out. Toros replied to all these. Toros pioneered and promoted the soil analysis. And now, Toros is able to produce an answer to each and every need of soil.”

Mr. Feyyaz Berker expressed his sorrow for the death of Mr. Necati Akçağlılar who passed away on May 2^nd, 2011 and said, “Necati used to say that Toros started business on the same date when Atatürk was born. Nothing wrong can happen to Toros!”

The celebration night went on with the amusing presentation of Mr. Savaş Karakaş and Banu Kunt’s Songs and the guests enjoyed having pleasant talks and being witnesses to 30 years of Toros.

You may reach the speech titled "How zinc fertilizers boost yields and improve public health in Turkey" done by Esin Mete - CEO of Tekfen Agri Industry Group - at the
4^th UN Least-Developed Countries Conference.

The project conducted by the Çukurova University researchers in cooperation with the research institutes of the Ministry of Agriculture during 1992-1995 has demonstrated clearly that soils in the Central Anatolian region were deficient in zinc for growing wheat. Based on the initial results of this study, other university and research institutes in Turkey have conducted projects related to zinc in various regions of Turkey on crops such as cotton, corn, sunflowers, rice and potato besides vegetables and fruit trees and found dire need of zinc for these crops.
 
The results of numerous studies have shown that application of zinc to the soil not only increases crop productivity but also enhances product quality. The fact that zinc deficiency is not limited only to calcareous soils with high pH value but also can be widely seen in rainy regions. This has promoted the importance of zinc as a plant nutrient in Turkey
 
Application of zinc through zinc-added fertilizers
In order to transfer the results of scientific studies to practical application, the most suitable and simple method of providing zinc to the soil would be to produce zinc added fertilizers in cooperation with the industrial organizations. TOROS, as the leader in the production and marketing of fertilizers in Turkey became the first producer of zinc added fertilizer as a contribution to national agriculture and enabling the use of zinc fertilizers. As was the case with grain products, the zinc necessary for the initial development of most plants needed to be added to the soil with basic fertilizers. Zinc was applied in the form of zinc oxide to the most commonly used compound fertilizers in open field agriculture, whereby TOROS produced NP (20-20-0) and NPK (15-15-15) compound fertilizers enriched with 1 per cent Zn.
 
Farmers' education on zinc fertilization
This new fertilizer was introduced to the farmers by TOROS agronomists and marketing team through presentations and demonstrations under farmers' conditions. TOROS also organized training seminars for farmers as well as TV and radio presentations to illustrate the benefits of widespread use of zinc fertilizers.
 
The effect of zinc fertilizers
The positive effects of zinc fertilizers in productivity and crop quality have greatly motivated the farmers to use zinc added compound fertilizers, which started with 2000 tonnes in 1992 and reached 450,000 tonnes in 2007. The application of zinc fertilizer that started with wheat, the main dietary component of the Turkish population, has spread to all field crops and horticulture, enabling farmers to increase their income per cultivated unit area. Wheat and
barley in Turkey are cultivated for human consumption as well as for feeding livestock, especially the bran produced from these crops. Almost 30 per cent of wheat production is for the latter purpose i.e. livestock feeding. Thus, the importance of using zinc fertilizers is further enhanced.
 
TOROS leads the way
TOROS is the leader in adding zinc to compound formulations, such as 10-20-20,18-24-12,15-25-15 and 20-32-0. This had started with only two compound fertilizers. This has been a great success and helped increase the use of zinc in Turkey.
 
The future
Other fertilizer producers in Turkey have also started to add zinc to some of their productions, indicating that TOROS TARIM had made the right decision more than 15 years ago. Zinc fertilizers have increased productivity and crop quality in the Turkish agriculture and it is evident that their use shall continue to grow in the future.