Independent Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (MÜSİAD) and Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU) signed a protocol on "Agro-business Plants", Cannabis in particular.
The signing ceremony was held at the Samsun Municipality Ömer Halisdemir Multi-purpose Hall, which was attended by Samsun Governor Osman Kaymak, former Minister of Health and Samsun Member of Parliament Ahmet Demircan, Samsun Chief Public Prosecutor Ahmet Yavuz, Ondokuz Mayıs University Rector Prof. Dr. Sait Bilgiç, Samsun University Rector Prof. Dr. Mahmut Aydın, Canik Mayor Osman Genç, OMU Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Kuran, OMU Secretary General Assoc. Prof. Dr. Menderes Kabadayı, OMU Faculty of Medicine Dean Prof. Dr. Ayhan Dağdemir, OMU Faculty of Medicine Head Physician Prof. Dr. Ünsal Özgen, Vocational School of Health Services Director Dr. Lect. Faruk Tan, MÜSİAD Chairman Abdurrahman Kaan, MÜSİAD Samsun Branch Head Haluk Tan, directors of public institutions and organizations, representatives of non-governmental organizations, academicians and students.
MÜSİAD Chairman took the stage during the ceremony and pointed out that the academy and business world should combine their accumulation and experience to create strength and continued "Besides supporting that our country develops by producing, we also take steps towards achieving this. We take heed that all our works are sustainable. One of these is the production of cannabis which came to the forefront with the interventions of our President. This was received by the business world and industry with excitement. Cannabis is a plant that is used in many industrial products and has great value. The presence of cannabis in Anatolia dates back to hundreds of years. Compared to others, the species in Anatolia has greater quality and productivity. We will be possessing in the industry the production of an important raw material with the university producing cannabis. A nice step has been taken for the continuation of all these processes in a controlled manner. We have started the foundation works of the Turkish Cannabis Research Institute. It makes us happy that the national cannabis production works are being realized in Samsun. This agreement with the university to grow and develop these industrial plants becomes more important."
Mentioning the importance of the university-industry cooperation, OMU Rector Prof. Dr. Sait Bilgiç said "One of the most important characteristics of developed countries is that they have strongly established the university-industry cooperations and execute this executively. On one side you have top-level minds whose duty is to research; and on the other, an entrepreneur spirit whose characteristics about production is developed and has certain financial opportunities. It was a big lack not to have brought these together. We have realized this a long time ago, and both sides close up fast to cover this. In this context, wish that this signature today leads to good results."
Rector
Bilgiç gave the good news that the petition to establish the Cannabis Research Institute was accepted by the Higher Education Board last Thursday and presented to the Presidency and stated "Hopefully, we will initiate the Institute with the signature of the President. This endeavor is very important in terms of developing the steps to be taken about cannabis. All the works will be from now on through our institute. I think our institute, which will be the first to be established with this name, will be an important opportunity for both Samsun and our country. We created a strength with this cooperation. I assume that power will be reflected in production, research and thus development. Cannabis is a real industrial product which can be processed to attain goods with high added value. Hopefully, we will compensate for the neglect until today."
Samsun Governor Osman Kaymak pointed out that very important developments took place about cannabis in Samsun and said "Everyone has been after this product since cannabis seed came to the fore. To prevent its mixing with products from outside, we advised our farmers not to sell it to anyone but the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry. We buy the products signing contracts with our farmers. 450 decare more land has been planted now. We will attain 15 tons of seed. Next year we will produce another 5 thousand decares. The seeds will be increased systematically and in a controlled manner within 23 years."
A cooperation protocol was signed by Samsun Governor Osman Kaymak, OMU Rector Prof. Dr. Sait Bilgiç and MÜSİAD Chairman Abdurrahman Kaan after the speeches.
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