Erdal Suat Başkan – Giresun Commodity Exchange
In 2005, after the Agricultural Products Licensed Warehousing Law was enacted, the executive board wanted to establish a commission; it was decided to establish a commission for the establishment of a licensed warehouse and stock exchange. The Regulation for Licenced Warehouse was drafted. On the other hand, I technically initiated a project focusing on establishing licenced warehouse. In fact, I also did several researches regarding licenced dried nuts warehouses overseas i.e America, but nothing like that seems to exist.. All warehouses in the sector, both Fiskobirlik’s warehouses and warehouses used by the private sector, they are all ordinary concrete constructions. They either knock it to the ground or put into burlap sacks. Therefore, as time passes, hazelnut is losing its value because of various deteriorations. Temperature, moisture or oxygen are the factors that cause these deteriorations. The light is also effective. However, these three factors are the main reasons in deterioration process. So, how can we eliminate those factors? In two ways… The research done by TUBITAK and the researches done in other countries always refer to the same thing; hazelnut should be stored in air-conditioned warehouses or under mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen gas.
We developed a system in which hazelnut is stored in steel silos with conical bases, nitrogen is pumped up through these conical bases, to hinder cracks through a slow flow method. Then we heard about Competitive Sectors Program of the Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology, we got information about the financial aids. After that, we prepared our project proposal and submit it to the Ministry on January, 16th 2009. All of the architectural projects, static, mechanical, electrical projects including explorations together with their pro forma invoices were included in the relevant dossier. In July 2009, it was announced that our project won. They announced this by inviting us to Ankara. In the next period, we attended training courses of the Ministry.
On May, 23rd, 2014 the construction site was handed over to the contractor. Following the provisional acceptance on 12.05.2016 and final acceptance on 10.03.2017, we obtained the facilities. The project includes the construction of:
- Spot exchange administrative building,
- Licenced warehouse facility,
- Laboratory and technical services building,
- Auxiliary facilities.
In 2015, we started to organize promotional and educational training programmes. We trained both our producers and our members. We designed trainings explaining how they will buy and sell goods in the exchange session hall; and how to use this software. Hazelnut is stored in warehouses according to its yield value, and the producer is an Electronic Product Document (ELÜS) which is given by Central Registry Agency. The document indicating the quality and amount of their product, enables the producer to get loans from the bank, or to sell the product with a best value at the market at any time.
Giresun Hazelnut Licenced Warehouse and Spot Exchange was opened on September, 8th 2017. For more detail about the Project you can visit www.giflidas.com.tr page.
