The amount of food wasted in Turkey per year is 26 million tons, the equivalent of which is 214 billion liras, Akgül indicated. "According to the research conducted by TUBITAK, the amount of vegetables and fruits wasted is worth 12 million tons and 25 billion liras."
Underlining that this amount is more than four times the total fruit and vegetable exports of Turkey, Akgül emphasized that 4.9 million bread per day and 1.7 billion bread per year are wasted in Turkey.
According to the latest statistics, a third of the food produced around the world each year is lost or wasted, Akgül said.
"The cost of wasted food in developed countries is $ 680 billion, while in developing countries this figure is $ 310 billion," he said.
Akgül reminded that fruits and vegetables are the most highly wasted food products, underlining that the amount of food wasted in the United States and European countries are 3 times the amount to feed the world population.
Prof Akgül noted that the amount of food wasted by consumers in rich countries alone is 230 million tons. This amount is equal to the amount of food produced by Sub-Saharan African countries.
"The amount of food waste per capita reveals the unbalanced distribution of resources around the world. The amount of food wasted by consumers is between 95-115 kg in European and North American countries, while in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asian countries this amount is between 6-11 kg," he said. (ILKHA)