'Turkey wastes 12 million loaves of bread daily'

As the world marks World Food Day on Oct 16, an NGO draws attention to Turkey’s food waste problem. Around 12 million loaves of bread are thrown away every day, contributing to an annual food waste total of 23 million tons, according to the Waste Prevention Foundation of Turkey (TİSVA).

“Every year, approximately 23 million tons of food are wasted in Turkey. About 35% of the food produced is lost or discarded before reaching tables,” Halil Fatih Akgül, head of the TİSVA, told Anadolu Agency (AA).

Of the 23 million tons of the wasted food, 7.76 million tons, about one-third of thew waste, occur in households, while restaurants, hotels, and catering facilities are among the leading contributors to bread waste.

According to these figures, each person wastes an average of 93 kilograms of food per year.

As one of the world's largest bread consumers, the country’s bread waste is also significant, with the estimated 12 million loaves discarded daily totaling nearly 4.4 billion loaves annually. The country produces about 130 million loaves of bready daily, according to the Bread Producers' Federation of Turkey.

World Food Day, established by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 1945, aims to raise awareness about food security, hunger, and sustainable agriculture. This year’s theme is “Water and Food Security,” highlighting the critical role of water in ensuring a sustainable food supply. (VK)