Turkey's Agriculture Minister Ibrahim Yumaklı opens Biotechnical Control Center in Izmir

Turkey's Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumaklı inaugurated a new Biotechnical Control Research Center at the Bornova Agricultural Research Institute in Izmir. The facility will produce sterile insects for biological pest control, with a capacity of around 10 million insects per year, targeting pests such as the Mediterranean fruit fly that have harmed fruit exports.

Yumaklı emphasized the centre’s role in supporting national food‑security, noting that Turkey cultivates 206 crop varieties and that climate‑change‑driven pest pressures require integrated, biotechnical approaches. He cited roughly 2 billion lira of support since 2010 for such initiatives, and stressed the need to reduce pesticide use while ensuring correct application. Attendees included the Izmir governor, a local MP and other officials.

The ministry aims to expand the centre’s capacity further, integrate biological methods with existing agricultural practices, and promote sustainable pest‑management across the country.