The grant ceremony was held at the Provincial Special Administration of Burdur, prepared under the coordination of Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University (MAKÜ) and carried out by the Burdur Provincial Special Administration with the support of the Western Mediterranean Development Agency as part of the Burdur Small Ruminant Livestock Milk Collection Network SOGEP Project.
The ceremony was attended by Burdur Governor Ali Arslantaş, Members of Parliament Bayram Özçelik and Yasin Uğur, MAKÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Adem Korkmaz, Provincial General Assembly President Murat Akbıyık, Burdur Provincial Special Administration Secretary General Asım Ertilav, Justice and Development Party Burdur Provincial Chairman Volkan Mengi, Western Mediterranean Development Agency Secretary General Volkan Güler, Burdur Agriculture and Forestry Provincial Director Mehmet Tuğrul, Burdur Breeders Association President Mustafa Yıldız, protocol members, and breeders.
The opening speech at the Grant Ceremony was made by Western Mediterranean Development Agency Secretary General Volkan Güler. Later, Burdur Provincial Special Administration Secretary General Asım Ertilav, Members of Parliament Bayram Özçelik and Yasin Uğur also gave speeches wishing the machine and equipment grants to be beneficial.
Burdur Will Have a Tulum Cheese Made from Milk Obtained from Its Own Region
Rector Prof. Dr. Adem Korkmaz also gave a speech, stating that they are sensitive about giving the necessary support and importance to the project. Rector Korkmaz continued his speech; “We all know that goat milk is very valuable. This milk is generally evaluated in a framework that is not converted into the deserved economic value or is presented to very local small markets. Some of it may not be evaluated at all due to lack of marketing opportunities. Our academics participated in the cheese production processes produced traditionally in different regions of Burdur as a result of a one-year field study. As a result, they identified the aroma of the milk from animals fed on Burdur's herbs and defined its unique starter culture, flavor, and taste, and they are currently creating its formula. Now, a tulum cheese that captures the average taste and quality obtained from milk produced in every region of Burdur has been completed. Since it was very experimental and in a laboratory environment, we could only produce a very limited amount. This project will realize two types of production. The first is in the form of a very traditional leather tulum cheese of Anatolia. Our research on the leather in this regard has also been completed. The second type is also continuing with production processes related to classic packaging such as one-kilogram, two-kilogram, five-kilogram, and ten-kilogram in leather.” he stated.
We Deliver Our First Milk to MAKÜ on June 1
The last speech was made by Burdur Governor Ali Arslantaş. In his speech, Arslantaş said; “You are always curious. What will be the price of the milk we will give? Our friends are working on this. The National Milk Council has set the price of cow's milk at 7.5 lira. In general terms, sheep milk is twice the price of cow's milk, and goat milk is two-thirds of sheep milk. Our friends are also working on a price above 11-12 lira. A price will be determined where you will benefit more from this value-added product than its worth. It will be a price where no one will be victimized, and I believe it will be a price that will make you happy. So we are delivering our first milk on June 1. We are starting production immediately. The milk of the goats from the Teke Region is starting to take its place on the shelves,” he said.
After the speeches, machines and equipment were delivered to 24 of the 52 breeders determined within the scope of the Burdur Provincial Small Ruminant Livestock Milk Collection Network Project by the protocol members.
