By Sevgi Ceren Gokkoyun

ANKARA

Turkey's required agricultural crops will be produced in Sudan's agricultural lands, which were reserved for Turkish entrepreneurs’ investment, Turkish agriculture and forestry minister said.

Bekir Pakdemirli, the minister, will visit Sudan with the private sector representatives on Sept. 9-11 to meet with President Omer al-Bashir and Sudanese ministers.

The Turkish investors will visit 780,500 hectares of agricultural lands in Sudan, he noted.

"Within the scope of an agricultural investment project in Sudan, the agriculture-based Turkish industry's raw material requirements will be guaranteed," he underlined.

"Agricultural needs for the private sector's investments in Sudan will be imported from Turkey, thus Turkey's exports will be raised," he added.

The project will provide employment to people of the two countries and the crops produced as part of the project will be exported mostly to third countries.

Two countries agricultural cooperation started in 1999 and later Turkish-Sudanese agricultural pact was signed in 2014.

The bilateral pact aims to rationalize the use of resources and agricultural potential and contribute to sustainable food objectives.

Two countries also decided to establish a joint agricultural and livestock company last March.

Last December, a business forum was held in Sudan when President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the country.

*Gokhan Ergocun contributed to this story from Ankara.