Nurgül Yıldırım, a female entrepreneur who received 2 million Turkish Lira in grants from the Agricultural and Rural Development Support Institution (TKKD) under the IPARD Program, produces 100 tons of Erzincan tulum cheese annually at her facility.
Nurgül Yıldırım, a female entrepreneur from Erzincan, has received 2 million Turkish Lira in grants from the Agricultural and Rural Development Support Institution (TKKD) under the IPARD Program. With this support, she has established a facility where she produces 100 tons of Erzincan tulum cheese annually.
Living in Erzincan and being a mother of four children, Nurgül Yıldırım utilized the 65% grant support from TKDK to transition from traditional methods to more professional production of tulum cheese, thereby increasing their production capacity up to 100 tons per year.
Yıldırım uses milk from Akkaraman sheep and Kıl goats, natural whey yeast, and Kemah salt, all indigenous to the region, in the production of Erzincan tulum cheese. The cheese is released for sale after a maturation period of 4 months, following the production techniques passed down from her ancestors.
In her statement to İHA reporter, Yıldırım mentioned that she applied for the IPARD Program based on a friend's recommendation. She highlighted that the grant enabled them to establish a large facility where they not only produce Erzincan tulum cheese but also churn butter. They store their products in a cold storage facility and distribute them to various cities across Turkey.
Yıldırım expressed how receiving government support has provided both moral and financial strength, encouraging others to be courageous and persistent in their endeavors. She emphasized the positive impact of the grant on their business, encouraging others not to hesitate in applying for such support.
With the goal of expanding their regional cheese production capacity to 500 tons annually and aiming to enter international markets, Yıldırım has invested 3.1 million Turkish Lira in her region through the IPARD Program. Her facility currently employs 11 people.
IPARD Program is a joint initiative by Turkey and the European Union (EU) aimed at implementing investments according to EU standards, diversifying economic activities in rural areas, improving the quality of life for rural populations, and preventing migration to urban areas.