A significant step has been taken to ensure a secure future for agriculture and trade. The Licensed Warehousing Federation (TÜLDEF) has been established with the goal of creating a more transparent, sustainable, and efficient structure within the sector.
Formed through the unification of the Anatolian Licensed Warehouse Operators Association (ALDER), Southeastern Anatolia Licensed Warehouse Operators Association (GALDER), Black Sea Licensed Warehouse Operators Association (KALİDER), Çukurova Licensed Warehouse Operators Association (ÇULDER), and Marmara-Aegean Licensed Warehouse Operators Association (MELDER), TÜLDEF was officially introduced to the public in Ankara. The Federation held its first general assembly meeting in Ankara, hosted by the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB). At the General Assembly, Mahmut Güzel was elected as Chairman of the Board of the Licensed Warehousing Federation.
Mahmut Güzel, President of ALDER, was elected Chairman of the Federation’s Board of Directors, while İhsan Balyan, President of GALDER, was elected Vice Chairman. Rahmani Karakaya, President of KALİDER, and Mehmet Mustafa Bahar, President of MELDER, were appointed as Treasurer Members, and Selçuk Bahşi, President of ÇULDER, was elected as a Board Member. Gizem Armutcu was appointed Secretary General of the Federation.
The launch event in Ankara was attended by Ahmet Güldal, Chairman and General Manager of the Turkish Grain Board (TMO); Yahya Toplu, Chairman of the TMO-TOBB Licensed Warehousing for Agricultural Products Board; Vahit Kirişci, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Affairs; Mahmut Güzel, Chairman of the Licensed Warehousing Federation; as well as the presidents of the member associations, officials from the Ministry of Trade and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, members of parliament, and sector stakeholders.
“We Will Grow and Develop Together”
In his address at the General Assembly, Chairman Mahmut Güzel expressed his gratitude and emphasized the collective vision:
“Just as we have worked with dedication to reach this point, we will continue with the same determination and commitment. Our Federation consists of five regional associations and over 200 members, with each association represented by 10 delegates—totaling 50—and a 10-member Board of Directors with two representatives from each association, as well as a 5-member Supervisory Board with one representative from each association. However, in my view, all 50 delegates should be as active as board members. We will strengthen our institutional structure day by day by establishing working groups, consultative councils, and similar bodies. We will learn together, develop together, and grow together.”
Vahit Kirişci, Chairman of the Parliamentary Agriculture Committee, underscored the importance of licensed warehouse products as national assets, stating:
“These products are the value of our nation. We must therefore be even more careful and attentive. We need to protect the products we produce under difficult conditions and ensure they are stored properly.”
“We Will Blacklist Those Who Cause Disruptions”
TMO General Manager Ahmet Güldal noted that issues in the licensed warehousing system are being closely monitored:
“Currently, 86% of the products in licensed warehouses belong to the state. This is our national wealth, entrusted to the Turkish Grain Board. We do not want any of these products to deteriorate. From now on, we are closely monitoring licensed warehouses that create difficulties for producers depositing their products, or for industrial buyers or the Ministry of Trade when retrieving them. Warehouses that behave as if the stored goods are their own property and act accordingly in commercial transactions will be subject to scrutiny. We are preparing a blacklist. Going forward, quality will be our top priority.”
“We Will Redesign the Licensed Warehousing System”
Yahya Toplu, Chairman of the TMO-TOBB Licensed Warehousing for Agricultural Products Board, emphasized that trust is the foundation of the licensed warehousing system:
“Today, there are 228 different companies operating licensed warehouses in 50 provinces, 152 districts, and 312 separate locations across the country, with a total capacity of 12.3 million tons. Compliance with regulations is of utmost importance in practice, because the essence of licensed warehousing is trust. The majority of transactions have involved products sold by the Turkish Grain Board. However, private sector trading activities have gradually declined. Our Ministry of Trade, Ministry of Agriculture, TMO, and TOBB are engaged in intensive efforts. Soon, in coordination with the Ministry of Trade, we will redesign the entire licensed warehousing system to address these issues and eliminate shortcomings as swiftly as possible.”